Updated: Dec 1, 2023
Folsom, Calif.- Winter is fast approaching with California’s water resources looking good heading into the season. Heavy rains and big snowstorms last winter delivered California residents from a painful drought. A more than ample dose of precipitation this past wet season has tampered down on the dire predictions wrongly forecasted last winter.
California’s 10 largest reservoirs remained full from snowmelt through summer summer and begin autumn well above average. Fingers crossed!
Last fall, water levels at Shasta Lake were at just 31 percent capacity and meteorologists were painting another bleak rain season. Fast forward to summer 2023 and Shasta Lake remarkably stands well above 100% of average. It’s been an epic summer of houseboating and water activities.
As of Dece1, Folsom Lake stands at 125 percent of average. Lake Oroville, which was forced to shut off it hydropower in 2022 due to low water levels, now is reported at 133 percent of average, according to the California Department of Water Resources. California reservoirs begin the season at a dramatically better position than the same time last year.
Did You Know?
- Taller than the Hoover Dam, the Lake Oroville Dam at 770 feet is the tallest in the United States.
- An acre foot is approximately 326,000 gallons. The average U.S. household is estimated to use between one half to one acre foot per year.
- In 2017, the Lake Oroville Dam spillway at risk of failure caused a large scale evacuation
Total Outdoor use accounts for an estimated 30 percent of water use according the U.S. EPA.
California reservoir levels over time
Dec 1, 2023
| RESERVOIR | % Capacity | % Average |
|---|---|---|
| Shasta Lake | 68 | 126 |
| New Melones | 79 | 147 |
| Don Pedro | 80 | 122 |
| Lake Oroville | 66 | 133 |
| Trinity Lake | 49 | 86 |
| San Luis Res | 56 | 109 |
| New Bullards Bar | 66 | 113 |
| Lake McClure | 64 | 153 |
| Pine Flat Res | 57 | 192 |
| FOLSOM LAKE | 49 | 125 |
Nov 1, 2023
| RESERVOIR | % Capacity | % Average |
|---|---|---|
| Shasta Lake | 69 | 129 |
| New Melones | 79 | 147 |
| Don Pedro | 81 | 123 |
| Lake Oroville | 68 | 134 |
| Trinity Lake | 50 | 86 |
| San Luis Res | 65 | 145 |
| New Bullards Bar | 69 | 115 |
| Lake McClure | 65 | 152 |
| Pine Flat Res | 56 | 202 |
| FOLSOM LAKE | 57 | 131 |
January 1, 2023
| RESERVOIR | % Capacity | % Average |
|---|---|---|
| Shasta Lake | 33 | 57 |
| New Melones | 29 | 53 |
| Don Pedro | 58 | 86 |
| Lake Oroville | 36 | 69 |
| Trinity Lake | 23 | 38 |
| San Luis Res | 34 | 54 |
| New Bullards Bar | 68 | 110 |
| Lake McClure | 27 | 62 |
| Pine Flat Res | 26 | 75 |
| FOLSOM LAKE | 57 | 140 |
November 1, 2022
| RESERVOIR | % Capacity | % Average |
|---|---|---|
| Shasta Lake | 31 | 58 |
| New Melones | 24 | 45 |
| Don Pedro | 49 | 75 |
| Lake Oroville | 31 | 61 |
| Trinity Lake | 22 | 38 |
| San Luis Res | 25 | 55 |
| New Bullards Bar | 62 | 103 |
| Lake McClure | 18 | 42 |
| Pine Flat Res | 16 | 56 |
| FOLSOM LAKE | 30 | 69 |
Oct 1, 2021
| RESERVOIR | % Capacity | % Average |
|---|---|---|
| Shasta Lake | 24 | 39 |
| New Melones | 35 | 63 |
| Don Pedro | 50 | 74 |
| Lake Oroville | 22 | 36 |
| Trinity Lake | 29 | 43 |
| San Luis Res | 12 | 26 |
| New Bullards Bar | 41 | 67 |
| Lake McClure | 20 | 45 |
| Pine Flat Res | 20 | 59 |
| Folsom Lake | 23 | 41 |
Top 10 California Reservoirs – July 4, 2021
| RESERVOIR | % Capacity | % Average |
|---|---|---|
| Shasta Lake | 38 | 48 |
| New Melones | 50 | 79 |
| Don Pedro | 61 | 77 |
| Lake Oroville | 31 | 39 |
| Trinity Lake | 47 | 55 |
| San Luis Res | 32 | 51 |
| New Bullards Bar | 53 | 62 |
| Lake McClure | 37 | 53 |
| Pine Flat Res | 28 | 41 |
| Folsom Lake | 29 | 35 |
data source: California Dept of Water Resources
Related
- Roseville activating well storage to bank 44 million gallons of water
- Tips as Winter Weather Returns
- Lake Tahoe Snow & Ski Report
(20+ years strong)
Welcome to the brighter side!
