Donnell Lake water level — California
Donnell Lake in California was last measured at 4,865.12 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 12:45 AM (UTC-07:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−31.2 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 44,190 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−31.2 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Aug 31, 2026 — a 89-day window — downsampled for display.
Data: USGS Water Services (waterservices.usgs.gov) and USACE CWMS Data (cwms-data.usace.army.mil), retrieved 2026-08-31. Both public domain (a work of the U.S. Government, 17 U.S.C. §105).
Source: USGS site 11292600, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
About this gauge's record
This site's drainage basin covers approximately 230 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind Donnell Lake
Donnell Lake is held back by Donnells , a concrete structure , standing 317 ft high and running 750 ft along its crest , built across Middle Fork Stanislaus River in Tuolumne County , near Sonora . It was completed in 1958 , and is owned by South San Joaquin Irrigation District (a public utility owner) , to a design credited to George E. Goodall Co..
Its recorded primary purpose is hydroelectric — releases follow generation schedules, so the level can move on a daily cycle that has nothing to do with drought . It also serves hydroelectric;flood risk reduction.
It is founded on rock. Its spillway is gated, so the operator can hold the pool above the spillway crest and meter what leaves. The spillway opening is 175 ft wide. Its outlet works use tainter (radial)5.
NID classes it high hazard potential. That describes what a failure would cost downstream — loss of life would be expected — and says nothing about how likely a failure is, or what condition the dam is in. Its most recent condition assessment was satisfactory — no deficiencies recognised for expected loading. That assessment is dated 09/29/2023.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 418 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 65,000 acre-ft against a normal storage of 64,500 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 43,800 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by DWR, Safety of Dams.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record CA00264 , filed by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USGS Water Services and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
How Donnell Lake compares nearby
4 of 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also falling right now.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beardsley Lake | CA | 3,347.38 ft | 17 km |
| Cherry Lake | CA | 4,683.53 ft | 40 km |
| Lake Eleanor | CA | 4,654.41 ft | 40 km |
| Hetch Hetchy Reservoir a Hetch Hetchy | CA | 3,780.90 ft | 45 km |
| Leviathan Mine Pond 1 | CA | 7,039.45 ft | 49 km |
| Leviathan Mine Pit Flow | CA | 7,044.71 ft | 49 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Donnell Lake?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 12:45 AM (UTC-07:00), the pool elevation was 4,865.12 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Donnell Lake full right now?
- Its managing agency does not publish a %-of-conservation-pool-full figure for this lake, so we show the bare level rather than estimate one.
- Where does this data come from?
- From USGS site 11292600, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in California
See every lake tracked in California, or read the methodology behind these figures.