San Luis Reservoir is located in Merced County, California and was created in 1967 by the construction of the San Luis Dam. The reservoir has a capacity of 2,041,000 acre-feet and is the fifth-largest reservoir in California. The reservoir serves as a critical source of water for the Central Valley Project, providing irrigation water for more than 600,000 acres of farmland. The reservoir also serves as a recreational destination, with boating, fishing, and camping opportunities available. The hydrology of the reservoir is largely dependent on surface flows from the San Joaquin River and snowpack melt from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. San Luis Reservoir is managed by the California Department of Water Resources and plays a crucial role in meeting the water needs of both agricultural and urban areas in California.