El Capitan Dam Reservoir
As of July 26, 2026, El Capitan Dam is holding 35,556 acre-ft of water — 91% of normal storage for this date. Storage data refreshed throughout the day.
El Capitan Dam
El Capitan Dam, located in San Diego County, California, was built in the 1930s as a hydroelectric facility. It is a concrete gravity dam that stands at 237 feet tall and 1,600 feet long. The dam serves as a surface water storage facility that can hold up to 112,800 acre-feet of water. The hydrology surrounding the dam is primarily fed by the San Diego River, which is reliant on snowpack melt from surrounding mountains. The dam provides water to the San Diego County Water Authority, which serves over 3.3 million residents. Additionally, the water is used for recreational purposes such as fishing, boating, and camping. The surrounding agricultural community also benefits from the water supply provided by the dam.
Daily levels at El Capitan Dam
Storage volume, pool elevation, and total release plotted from the operating agency's daily observations.
Storage
acre-ft · code 2
Pool Elevation
ft · code 1
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around El Capitan Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Los Coches C Nr Lakeside Ca | 0 cfs | → |
| Sweetwater R A Dehesa Ca | · | → |
| Sweetwater R Nr Descanso Ca | · | → |
| San Diego R A Mast Rd Nr Santee Ca | 1 cfs | → |
| Santa Maria C Nr Ramona Ca | · | → |
| Santa Ysabel C Nr Ramona Ca | · | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near El Capitan Dam.
Boat launches
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Campgrounds
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Fishing spots
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River runs
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About El Capitan Dam
What is the water level at El Capitan Dam Reservoir right now?
As of July 26, 2026, El Capitan Dam Reservoir is holding 35,556 acre-ft, about 91% of normal for this date. Pool elevation and the year-over-year trend are shown above.
Is El Capitan Dam Reservoir high or low right now?
Compare the percent-of-normal figure on this page: above 100% means storage is higher than the historical average for the date (a wet year), below 100% means lower (a dry year or drought). The daily-levels chart shows the current trend.
Where does the data for El Capitan Dam come from?
Daily storage, pool elevation, and release rates are sourced from USGS, USBR, and USACE monitoring stations. Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
Storage observations are updated daily by the operating agency. The 15-day weather forecast refreshes throughout the day. Snoflo caches and renders the most recent observation -- check the "as of" timestamp on the storage card.
What does the Hazard hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card below for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this reservoir, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.