Lake Tahoe Water Level
California & Nevada · Truckee River
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Water level history
About Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a reservoir on the Truckee River in California & Nevada, operated by Federal Watermaster. It's the largest alpine lake in North America. Its full summer pool sits at 6229 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from California's Department of Water Resources (CDEC) and update daily.
Understanding Lake Tahoe's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation Federal Watermaster targets when Lake Tahoe is completely filled — 6229 feet above sea level. Reservoirs like Lake Tahoe fill from winter storms and spring snowmelt toward 6229 ft, then get drawn down through the dry season to supply cities and farms — so sitting below full pool by late summer is expected, not a warning sign.
Expect Lake Tahoe to climb through winter and spring, peak around early summer, and fall through the dry summer and autumn as water is released downstream. A wet, snowy winter can raise it dramatically; a drought year can leave it low well into the next season.
The recent high and low above are drawn from the published history available for Lake Tahoe, 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.
Lake Tahoe — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Lake Tahoe?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Lake Tahoe's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from California's Department of Water Resources (CDEC).
What is full pool for Lake Tahoe?
Lake Tahoe's full summer pool is 6229 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Lake Tahoe?
Lake Tahoe is operated by Federal Watermaster on the Truckee River.
Where is Lake Tahoe located?
Lake Tahoe is in California & Nevada, on the Truckee River.
Why is Lake Tahoe low right now?
Reservoir levels fall during dry spells and seasonal drawdown — when Federal Watermaster 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 Lake Tahoe?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Lake Tahoe.
Other lakes near Lake Tahoe
- Trinity LakeCA
- Lake ShastaCA
- Lake BerryessaCA
- Lake OrovilleCA
- Don Pedro ReservoirCA
- New Melones LakeCA
See current levels for all 9 California lakes and reservoirs →
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