South Lake Reservoir reservoir
South Lake Reservoir
South Lake Reservoir is a man-made lake located in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. It was built in the early 1900s to provide water to the city of Los Angeles. The lake is fed by South Fork Bishop Creek and several smaller tributaries, as well as snowmelt from the surrounding mountains. The water is then transported through a series of aqueducts and pipelines to the city. The reservoir also serves as a source of irrigation for nearby farmland and supports recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and camping. The lake's water level is heavily influenced by the snowpack in the surrounding mountains, which typically reaches its peak in April and May. In recent years, the lake has suffered from drought conditions, leading to concerns about its long-term sustainability.
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 South Lake Reservoir -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Hot C A Flume Nr Mammoth Lakes Ca | 55 cfs | → |
| Marble Fork Kaweah R Ab Horse C Nr Lodgepole Ca | 7 cfs | → |
| Mf San Joaquin R Nr Mammoth Lakes Ca | 82 cfs | → |
| Deadman C A Big Springs Nr Crestview Ca | 22 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near South Lake Reservoir.
Boat launches
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Campgrounds
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Fishing spots
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River runs
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About South Lake Reservoir
Where does the data for South Lake Reservoir 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.