New Melones Reservoir

June 6 2023

1,870,202 acre-ft

Water storage levels at New Melones Reservoir are currently 1,870,202 acre-ft, about 124% of normal. The average for this time of year is approximately 1,507,154.74acre-ft.

Maximum recorded Storage since record keeping began in 2003 was 2006-06-15 when levels reached 2,356,700 acre-ft. Lowest recorded Storage was 2015-11-07 when levels receded to 264,401 acre-ft.

New Melones Reservoir is located in Calaveras and Tuolumne counties, California. It was created in 1979 by the construction of the New Melones Dam on the Stanislaus River. The reservoir has a capacity of 2.4 million acre-feet and is an important source of water for hydroelectric power generation, agriculture, and recreation. The hydrology of the reservoir is influenced by the snowpack from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which provides water for the river and reservoir during the dry months. The surface flow providers for the reservoir include the Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Calaveras rivers. The reservoir is used for irrigation of crops such as almonds, grapes, and citrus fruits, as well as for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and camping. The reservoir also provides habitat for various fish, including the endangered Chinook salmon and the steelhead trout.