Millerton Lake Water Level
California · San Joaquin River
Sponsor Millerton Lake
Put your marina, real-estate, or local business in front of everyone checking this lake's level. One exclusive sponsor per lake.
Cancel anytime · Questions?
Water level history
About Millerton Lake
Millerton Lake is a reservoir on the San Joaquin River in California, operated by U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Friant Dam holds it back at the head of the San Joaquin Valley. Its full summer pool sits at 578 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding Millerton Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Bureau of Reclamation targets when Millerton Lake is completely filled — 578 feet above sea level. That is the elevation Millerton Lake reaches at the top of a good runoff year, not a level it is held at. Reservoirs like this one fill from winter storms and snowmelt and are then drawn down deliberately through the dry season, so the gap between today's reading and 578 ft is normally the season rather than a shortage. Judge it against the same week last year, not against full.
Millerton Lake climbs through winter and spring as storms and snowmelt come off the mountains, peaks around late spring, and falls steadily through summer and autumn as water goes downstream and flood space is reopened for the next winter. A wet winter can raise it dramatically; the low point almost always lands in autumn regardless.
The recent high and low above are drawn from the published history available for Millerton Lake, so they show how today compares over that record rather than an all-time extreme. The 12-month and 5-year chart views make the trend and the lake's usual seasonal shape easy to see.
Millerton Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Millerton Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Millerton Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS).
What is full pool for Millerton Lake?
Millerton Lake's full summer pool is 578 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Millerton Lake?
Millerton Lake is operated by U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on the San Joaquin River.
Where is Millerton Lake located?
Millerton Lake is in California, on the San Joaquin River.
Why is Millerton Lake low right now?
Reservoir levels fall during dry spells and seasonal drawdown — when U.S. Bureau of Reclamation lowers the pool for flood storage, power, or water supply — and recover after rain and snowmelt. The history chart above shows the recent trend.
What are the record high and low levels for Millerton Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Millerton Lake.
Other lakes near Millerton Lake
- New Bullards Bar ReservoirCA
- Lake McClureCA
- New Hogan LakeCA
- Los Banos ReservoirCA
- New Melones LakeCA
- Lake KaweahCA
See current levels for all 29 California lakes and reservoirs →
Add this gauge to your website
Run a marina, boat rental, guide service, or real-estate site on Millerton Lake? Put this free live-level widget on your page — just copy and paste the code: