Donner C A Donner Lake near Truckee water level

Name: Donner C A Donner Lake near Truckee water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Donner C A Donner Lake, California, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.52ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 02:15 AM PDT (39 min ago)

Flow: 64.0 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Donner C A Donner Lake near Truckee is at 3.52 ft, in the normal range.

It is 1.98 ft below the flood stage of 5.50 ft.

It has dropped 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.98 ft and 3.98 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 6.63 ftJanuary 2, 1997

Floating and fishing near Donner C A Donner Lake near Truckee

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 5.50 ft, 1.98 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

7.00 ft: Major...record flooding along creek from in Donner Memorial State Park from Donner Lake to Cold Stream...not including the Town of Truckee...with major damage to roads...bridges...and structures. About 970 cfs.
6.70 ft: Moderate to major flooding and damage to roads...bridges...culverts...trails...structures along creek in Donner Memorial State Park from Donner Lake to Cold Stream...not including the Town of Truckee. Equal to record flood of 1/2/1997...about 880 cfs.
6.30 ft: Moderate flooding in Donner Memorial State Park from Donner Lake to Cold Stream...not including the Town of Truckee. About 770 cfs. Moderate damage to roads...bridges...campgrounds and trails in reach. Like floods of November 1950...December 1964 and February 1986...but not as severe as record flooding of January 2 1997.
5.50 ft: Flood Stage. Minor flooding begins to occur throughout reach in Donner Memorial State Park from Donner Lake to Cold Stream...not including the Town of Truckee. Flooding of nature trails and walking bridges in Donner Memorial State Park...campsites near creek evacuated. About 540 cfs.
5.00 ft: Monitor Stage...no flooding. However...people near Donner Creek...especially campers...hikers and anglers...should closely monitor for quick rises if heavy rain or snowmelt require large releases from Donner Lake. About 400 cfs.
3.52 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	6.63 ft	January 2, 1997
2	6.10 ft	February 10, 2017
3	6.08 ft	February 19, 1986
4	6.06 ft	November 21, 1950
5	6.04 ft	December 25, 1964
6	5.71 ft	December 11, 1937
7	5.66 ft	April 26, 2012
8	5.59 ft	May 19, 2005
9	5.50 ft	May 18, 1996
10	5.42 ft	July 9, 1974

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:18 AM Sunset 06:15 PM Daylight 10 hr, 57 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Donner Creek at Highway 89 near TruckeeRiver gauge, Donner Creek	3.20 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	1.4 mi
Truckee River near TruckeeRiver gauge, Truckee River	1.64 ft	Below flood stage	±0	2.4 mi
Truckee River below Martis Creek near TruckeeRiver gauge, Truckee River	165 cfs	High	−7.0 cfs	6 mi
Prosser Creek below Prosser C Dam near TruckeeRiver gauge, Prosser Creek	73.6 cfs	Normal	−1.6 cfs	6 mi
Sagehen Creek near TruckeeRiver gauge, Sagehen Creek	1.8 cfs	Low	−0.1 cfs	7 mi
Little Truckee River below Boca Dam near TruckeeRiver gauge, Little Truckee River	140 cfs	Normal	±0	9 mi
Boca Reservoir near TruckeeReservoir, Boca Reservoir	5,569.88 ft	Below flood stage	−0.22 ft	9 mi
Truckee R A Boca Bridge near TruckeeRiver gauge, Truckee R A Boca Bridge	386 cfs	Normal	−5.0 cfs	9 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Donner C A Donner Lake near Truckee?

The official flood stage is 5.50 ft. The level is currently 1.98 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Donner C A Donner Lake near Truckee today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 02:15 AM PDT, the water level was 3.52 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Donner C A Donner Lake near Truckee rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.52 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Donner C A Donner Lake near Truckee normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Donner C A Donner Lake near Truckee?

The highest level on record is 6.63 ft on January 2, 1997.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:10338500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.32352, -120.23437 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	3.52 ft	2026-10-21 09:15	Provisional
Flow	64.0 cfs	2026-10-21 09:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Donner C A Donner Lake near Truckee (usgs:10338500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/california/donner-c-a-donner-lake-near-truckee

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer