Overview
New Melones Lake is an approximately 12,500-acre Central Valley Project reservoir on the Stanislaus River in Calaveras and Tuolumne counties, in California's southern Mother Lode. New Melones Dam was completed in 1979 and is operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for flood control, irrigation, hydropower, water quality, and recreation, with about 2.4 million acre-feet of storage at full pool.
At a joint-use / spillway-crest elevation of 1,088 feet the lake has more than 100 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth commonly cited near 565 feet. Steep canyon walls, long river arms, and flooded foothill terrain create a deep, scenic basin between Angels Camp and Sonora.
New Melones draws hundreds of thousands of visitors a year for houseboating, camping, hiking, and fishing for bass, trout, and other species managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Reclamation recreation areas, ramps, and a visitor center provide public access along Highway 49.
Water levels are managed by Reclamation around a full pool of 1,088 feet, with substantial flood-control space and an active conservation pool that often sits lower (top of active conservation near 1,049.5 feet). Snowmelt, irrigation, and Stanislaus River flood operations can move elevations quickly, so monitoring current lake levels is important for boating, fishing, and shoreline access. Nearby Don Pedro and Lake McClure are sister foothill reservoirs.
Current Conditions
New Melones Lake is currently 76.38 feet below full pool and has been falling over the past week.
- 7-day trendFallingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeDown 1.52 ft
- 30-day changeDown 7.09 ft
- Drought conditionsAbnormally Dry
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
New Melones Lake is a 12,500-acre reservoir on the Stanislaus River managed by U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.