New Exchequer Dam / Lake Mcclure water level — California
New Exchequer Dam / Lake Mcclure in California was last measured at 796.87 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 30, 2026, 7:00 AM (UTC+00:00) (USACE CWMS Data). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−18.9 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 611,238 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−18.9 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 3, 2026 and Aug 30, 2026 — a 88-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 Exchequer, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
The dam behind New Exchequer Dam / Lake Mcclure
New Exchequer Dam / Lake Mcclure is held back by Exchequer Main , a rockfill embankment — quarried rock placed in compacted layers around a sealing core , standing 490 ft high and running 1,220 ft along its crest , built across Merced River in Mariposa County , near Snelling . It was completed in 1966 , and is owned by Merced Irrigation District (a public utility owner) .
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;fire protection, stock, or small fish pond;irrigation;fish and wildlife pond;recreation;flood risk reduction.
It is founded on unlisted/unknown, 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 1,360 ft wide. Its outlet works use tainter (radial)6.
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 fair: sound under normal loading, though a rare or extreme event could expose a deficiency. That assessment is dated 09/29/2023.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 7,110 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 1,100,000 acre-ft against a normal storage of 1,024,600 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 531,600 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by DWR, Safety of Dams.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record CA00240 , 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 Exchequer Dam / Lake Mcclure compares nearby
5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Don Pedro Reservoir | CA | 794.88 ft | 19 km |
| Burns-Pool | CA | 265.81 ft | 23 km |
| Bear-Pool | CA | 343.97 ft | 25 km |
| Mariposa-Pool | CA | 367.88 ft | 34 km |
| Owens-Pool | CA | 348.53 ft | 36 km |
| Eastman Lake-Pool | CA | 466.66 ft | 44 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of New Exchequer Dam / Lake Mcclure?
- As of Aug 30, 2026, 7:00 AM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 796.87 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is New Exchequer Dam / Lake Mcclure 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 Exchequer, 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.