Los Banos Dam

June 6 2023

23,121 acre-ft

Water storage levels at Los Banos Dam are currently 23,121 acre-ft, about 121% of normal. The average for this time of year is approximately 19,069acre-ft.

Maximum recorded Storage since record keeping began in 2020 was 2023-01-10 when levels reached 24,507 acre-ft. Lowest recorded Storage was 2022-12-06 when levels receded to 16,961 acre-ft.

Los Banos Dam, located in Merced County, California, is a key reservoir in the Central Valley Project. Built in 1968, the dam is primarily used for flood control, irrigation, and hydroelectric power generation. The dam impounds the San Luis Reservoir, which can hold up to 2 million acre-feet of water. The hydrology of the reservoir is predominantly fed by snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and surface runoff from the San Joaquin River. The reservoir serves as a major water source for agriculture in the Central Valley, and also provides recreational opportunities such as boating and fishing. In recent years, the reservoir has faced challenges due to prolonged drought conditions, leading to decreased snowpack and surface flow providers.