Isabella Dam water level — California
Isabella Dam in California was last measured at 2,561.14 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 8:00 AM (UTC+00:00) (USACE CWMS Data). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−3.3 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 174,340 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−3.3 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Jun 23, 2026 — a 20-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: USACE SPK/Lake Isabella-Pool, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
The dam behind Isabella Dam
Isabella Dam is held back by Isabella Dam (also recorded as Isabella Lake) , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 185 ft high and running 1,695 ft along its crest , built across KERN RIVER in Kern County , near BODFISH . It was completed in 1953 , and is owned by USACE - Sacramento District (a federal owner) .
Its recorded primary purpose is flood risk reduction — the pool is drawn down between storms so there is empty space waiting for the next flood, which is why this level can fall in dry weather and climb sharply after rain . It also serves flood risk reduction;irrigation;recreation;hydroelectric.
It has a earth core. Its spillway is ungated: once the pool reaches the crest, water leaves on its own and the operator cannot hold it back. The spillway opening is 140 ft wide.
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.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 11,200 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 1,202,000 acre-ft against a normal storage of 568,000 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 53,000 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record CA10106 , filed by US Army Corps of Engineers — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USACE CWMS Data and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
How Isabella Dam 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Success Lake | CA | 606.13 ft | 61 km |
| Lake Kaweah | CA | 605.17 ft | 98 km |
| Lake Piru | CA | 1,048.53 ft | 134 km |
| Santa Ynez River | CA | 1,383.05 ft | 166 km |
| Big Dry Creek Dam | CA | 400.00 ft | 174 km |
| Mojave Dam | CA | 2,989.32 ft | 184 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Isabella Dam?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 8:00 AM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 2,561.14 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Isabella Dam 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 USACE SPK/Lake Isabella-Pool, 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.