New Melones Lake Water Level Today - 1,008.95 ft, 64.8% Full
New Melones Dam · Stanislaus River · California - updated daily from official gauges
Western Reservoir Conditions·Daily·No. 47··Latest reading
- New Melones Lake is 64.8% full - moderate on this site's capacity scale - as of . Surface elevation 1,008.95 feet, storage 1,554,776 acre-feet (capacity basis 2,400,000 acre-feet), per California DWR (CDEC) gauge data.
- That elevation is its lowest September reading since 2022, and 287.80 feet above its record low of 721.15 ft (), in a daily record going back to October 1, 1985 (start of CDEC's daily record).
- Storage is 117% of the September 7 average across 40 years of record.
- New Melones Lake is falling: elevation changed -0.76 ft over the past week, -4.37 ft over the past month, and -8.90 ft over the past year, per California DWR (CDEC) gauge data.
New Melones Lake has fallen 8.90 feet in twelve months, and now sits 287.80 feet above its record low.
New Melones Lake vs its record low
In the daily record used by this site (going back to October 1, 1985 (start of CDEC's daily record)), New Melones Lake's lowest surface elevation was 721.15 feet on , when storage was 83,631 acre-feet. As of , New Melones Lake is at 1,008.95 feet - 287.80 feet above that record. The record high in the same series was 1,083.82 ft on .
New Melones Lake storage in context
| Reading | Elevation (ft) | Storage (AF) | % full |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today (September 7, 2026) | 1,008.95 | 1,554,776 | 64.8% |
| One year ago | 1,017.85 | 1,640,741 | 68.4% |
| Five years ago | 926.10 | 886,673 | 36.9% |
| Record low (October 1, 1992) | 721.15 | 83,631 | 3.5% |
| Capacity basis | 1,088.00 | 2,400,000 | 100.0% |
New Melones Lake water level, past 12 months
64.8% full at the latest reading - across the past 12 months it ranged from 64.8% (September 7, 2026) to 78.6% (March 25, 2026). Percent full is storage against the 2,400,000-acre-foot capacity basis, not a share of the elevation plotted above.
New Melones Lake elevation, full record
64.8% full at the latest reading - across the storage record since October 1, 1985 it ranged from 3.5% (October 1, 1992) to 98.7% (July 20, 1998). Percent full is storage against the 2,400,000-acre-foot capacity basis, not a share of the elevation plotted above. Every percentage here is measured against today's capacity basis; a reservoir's surveyed capacity changes as sediment accumulates behind the dam, so early-record percentages are indicative rather than exact.
Last 14 daily readings
| Date | Elevation (ft) | Day change | Storage (AF) |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 7, 2026 | 1,008.95 | -0.05 ft | 1,554,776 |
| September 6, 2026 | 1,009.00 | -0.13 ft | 1,555,250 |
| September 5, 2026 | 1,009.13 | -0.14 ft | 1,556,488 |
| September 4, 2026 | 1,009.27 | -0.11 ft | 1,557,820 |
| September 3, 2026 | 1,009.38 | -0.09 ft | 1,558,868 |
| September 2, 2026 | 1,009.47 | -0.11 ft | 1,559,724 |
| September 1, 2026 | 1,009.58 | -0.13 ft | 1,560,772 |
| August 31, 2026 | 1,009.71 | -0.13 ft | 1,562,009 |
| August 30, 2026 | 1,009.84 | -0.15 ft | 1,563,247 |
| August 29, 2026 | 1,009.99 | -0.17 ft | 1,564,675 |
| August 28, 2026 | 1,010.16 | -0.15 ft | 1,566,299 |
| August 27, 2026 | 1,010.31 | -0.11 ft | 1,567,732 |
| August 26, 2026 | 1,010.42 | -0.07 ft | 1,568,784 |
| August 25, 2026 | 1,010.49 | - | 1,569,452 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the water level of New Melones Lake today?
As of September 7, 2026, New Melones Lake's surface elevation is 1,008.95 feet, with 1,554,776 acre-feet in storage - 64.8% of the 2,400,000 acre-foot capacity basis. Source: California DWR CDEC daily gauge data.
How full is New Melones Lake?
New Melones Lake is 64.8% full as of September 7, 2026. Its storage is 117% of the September 7 average across its record since 1985. Source: California DWR CDEC daily gauge data.
When was New Melones Lake last full?
New Melones Lake was last at or above 95% of its 2,400,000 acre-foot capacity basis on July 30, 2011. As of September 7, 2026 it is 64.8% full. Source: California DWR CDEC daily gauge data.
Is New Melones Lake rising or falling?
New Melones Lake is falling: its elevation changed -0.76 feet over the week ending September 7, 2026, -4.37 ft over the past month, and -8.90 feet over the past year. Source: California DWR CDEC daily gauge data.
What was New Melones Lake's lowest water level on record?
New Melones Lake's lowest surface elevation in the daily record since October 1, 1985 was 721.15 feet on October 1, 1992, per the daily record used by this site. As of September 7, 2026 the reservoir is 287.80 feet above that record low.
About this gauge
New Melones Lake on the Stanislaus River is a federal Central Valley Project reservoir and one of the largest reservoirs in California.
- Operator
- California Department of Water Resources (CDEC)
- Station
- Station NML
- Measurements
- Sensor 6 (reservoir elevation), sensor 15 (storage), daily
- Dam
- New Melones Dam
- River
- Stanislaus River
- State
- California
- Coordinates
- 37.9481, -120.5250 (CDEC station NML metadata)
- Full pool reference
- 1,088.0 ft
- Capacity basis
- 2,400,000 acre-feet (CDEC daily reservoir storage summary)
- Period of record
- October 1, 1985 (start of CDEC's daily record)
- Status
- Provisional - subject to revision by the reporting agency
- Update cadence
- Daily
Download the daily CSV (date, elevation ft, storage AF) or see all data downloads.
Other reservoirs tracked
California: Shasta Lake, Lake Oroville, Folsom Lake, Lake Berryessa, Trinity Lake, Don Pedro Reservoir, San Luis Reservoir.
Also: Lake Mead, Lake Powell, Lake Mohave, Lake Havasu, Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Blue Mesa Reservoir, Navajo Reservoir, Lake Travis, Lake Buchanan, Canyon Lake, Amistad Reservoir, Falcon Lake, Elephant Butte Reservoir.
Notes
- 1/Percent full is storage divided by the 2,400,000 acre-foot capacity basis published in the CDEC daily reservoir storage summary. ↩
- 2/Elevations are California DWR CDEC station NML sensor 6, storage sensor 15, daily duration. CDEC data are provisional and subject to revision. ↩
- 3/Gauge coordinates 37.9481, -120.5250 - CDEC station NML metadata. Elevations are as published by the operating agency; consult the source for the vertical datum in use. ↩
- 4/Period of record for the daily series used here begins October 1, 1985 (start of CDEC's daily record). Record low is measured over that window only. ↩
- 5/All readings carry the date the gauge reported them, which may lag today's date. This site publishes observations, not forecasts. ↩