Overview
Pyramid Lake is an approximately 1,300-acre State Water Project reservoir on Piru Creek in northern Los Angeles County, about 60 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles in the Angeles and Los Padres National Forests. Pyramid Dam was completed in 1973 by the California Department of Water Resources and provides regulated storage for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's Castaic Powerplant as well as SWP deliveries and recreation.
At a normal maximum water-surface elevation of 2,578 feet the lake has about 21 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth near 280 feet, with long canyon arms and steep mountain walls. West Branch aqueduct water and local creek inflow meet in a deep, clear foothill basin that feels remote despite its proximity to Interstate 5.
Pyramid is a popular Southern California destination for boating, camping, and fishing for largemouth bass, striped bass, trout, and other species managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Emigrant Landing and other Forest Service / DWR recreation sites provide public ramps, camping, and day use.
Water levels are managed jointly for SWP storage and Castaic pumped-storage operations, so the pool can fluctuate daily and seasonally around the 2,578-foot normal maximum. Monitoring current lake levels is important for ramp access, fishing, and shoreline camping throughout the year.
Current Conditions
Pyramid Lake is currently 5.04 feet below full pool and has fallen slightly over the past week.
- 7-day trendFallingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeDown 0.11 ft
- 30-day changeDown 0.74 ft
- Drought conditionsNo Drought
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Pyramid Lake is a 1,300-acre reservoir on the West Branch California Aqueduct / Piru Creek managed by California Department of Water Resources / Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.