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Whiskeytown Lake water level

Lake, California, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Surface elevation

1,208.70ft Up 0.10 ft over the last 7 days

Water stored
236,942 acre‑ft
1,200 1,205 1,210

History

1,2001,2031,2051,208ftOct 12Oct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 171,2001,2031,2051,208ftOct 12Oct 14Oct 17
1,2001,2031,2051,208ftSep 19Sep 26Oct 3Oct 10Oct 171,2001,2031,2051,208ftSep 19Oct 3Oct 17
1,2001,2051,210ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 20261,2001,2051,210ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
1,2001,2051,210ftOct 2016Apr 2019Oct 2021Apr 2024Oct 20261,2001,2051,210ftOct 2016Oct 2021Oct 2026
1,2001,2051,210ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20261,2001,2051,210ftJanAprJulOct2026

202120222023202420252026

Surface elevation Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

There is plenty of water in Whiskeytown Lake: 1,208.70 ft, above normal for mid-October.

That puts it 2.81 ft above the median of 1,205.89 ft for mid-October, based on 36 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 1,208.30 ft (+0.40 ft).

The water is rising: up 0.10 ft over the past week. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1,208.60 ft and 1,209.17 ft.

Lakes and reservoirs often sit lower in fall after a summer of evaporation and use, and recover with winter rain and spring snowmelt.

Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1,205.89 ft2.81 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
1,200.21 ft – 1,209.04 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
Same day last year
1,208.30 ft+0.40 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1,208.60 ft – 1,209.17 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1,197.64 ft – 1,210.07 ft

Swimming and boating at Whiskeytown Lake

A little more water than usual mostly means narrower beaches. Ramps and docks generally work as normal, but watch for floating debris after storms.

If you swim, pick a spot with an easy way out, and remember that drop-offs move as the level changes.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 80° 56° – Wind 9 mph
19 Mon 67° 47° – Wind 7 mph
20 Tue 73° 50° – Wind 6 mph
21 Wed 80° 58° 0.01 in, 31% Wind 7 mph
22 Thu 62° 53° 0.03 in, 32% Wind 4 mph
23 Fri 78° 46° – Wind 8 mph
24 Sat 83° 50° – Wind 8 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:25 AM Sunset 06:27 PM Daylight 11 hr, 2 min First quarter 52%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Spring Creek Reservoir and DebrisReservoir 730.29 ft High 3.9 mi
Sacramento R A KeswickRiver gauge 5,990 cfs Normal +20.0 cfs 4.9 mi
Keswick ReservoirReservoir 583.36 ft Normal 4.9 mi
Clear Creek near IgoRiver gauge, Clear Creek 293 cfs Very high ±0 5.9 mi
Anderson-Cottonwood Id Canal at Sharon Ave ReddingRiver gauge, Anderson-Cottonwood Id Canal 216 cfs Normal +3.0 cfs 8 mi
Shasta LakeLake 976.91 ft Normal 10 mi
Lewiston LakeLake 1,901.07 ft Normal 16 mi
Trinity R A LewistonRiver gauge 305 cfs Normal ±0 16 mi

Questions and answers

How does Whiskeytown Lake compare with last year?

It is 0.40 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1,208.30 ft.

What is a normal level for Whiskeytown Lake in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1,205.89 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1,200.21 ft and 1,209.04 ft, based on 36 years of records.

Is Whiskeytown Lake really 1,208.70 ft deep?

No. 1,208.70 ft is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.

What is the water level of Whiskeytown Lake today?

On Oct 17, 2026, the surface elevation was 1,208.70 ft. Up 0.10 ft over the last 7 days.

Is Whiskeytown Lake rising or falling?

Up 0.10 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Whiskeytown Lake normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation publishes a new reading once a day. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Station code
usbr:509 (Agency page)
Coordinates
40.59800, -122.53700 (WGS84)
Update interval
once a day
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (RISE), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Surface elevation 1,208.70 ft 2026-10-17 08:00 Provisional
Water stored 236,942 acre‑ft 2026-10-17 08:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Whiskeytown Lake (usbr:509). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/california/whiskeytown-lake

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