New Bullards Bar Reservoir water level — California
New Bullards Bar Reservoir in California was last measured at 1,904.67 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 7:00 AM (UTC+00:00) (USACE CWMS Data). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−8.1 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 739,801 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−8.1 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 22, 2026 and Jul 12, 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/New Bullards Bar, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
The dam behind New Bullards Bar Reservoir
New Bullards Bar Reservoir is held back by New Bullards Bar , a concrete structure , standing 645 ft high and running 2,323 ft along its crest , built across North Yuba River in Yuba County , near Marysville . It was completed in 1970 , and is owned by Yuba County Water Agency (a public utility owner) , to a design credited to International Engineering 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;irrigation;fish and wildlife pond;recreation;water supply;flood risk reduction.
It is founded on rock, with a concrete core. Its spillway is gated, so the operator can hold the pool above the spillway crest and meter what leaves. The spillway opening is 90 ft wide. Its outlet works use tainter (radial)3.
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 4,830 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 1,010,000 acre-ft against a normal storage of 996,000 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 160,000 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by DWR, Safety of Dams.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record CA00863 , filed by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission — 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 New Bullards Bar Reservoir compares nearby
4 of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Englebright Lake Pool | CA | 525.74 ft | 20 km |
| Lake Oroville & Dam | CA | 789.74 ft | 34 km |
| Independence Lake | CA | 6,947.30 ft | 73 km |
| Donner Lake | CA | 5,933.71 ft | 74 km |
| Folsom Dam and Lake | CA | 412.13 ft | 77 km |
| Union Valley | CA | — | 84 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of New Bullards Bar Reservoir?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 7:00 AM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 1,904.67 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is New Bullards Bar Reservoir 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/New Bullards Bar, 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.