Highest elevation lakes & reservoirs in California by altitude
While lake levels can flucuate frequently based on several circumstances, the altitude/elevation of a lake is based on its normal water level, measured by the lake’s surface distance above sea level. For a reservoir, this water level is also known as “full pond” or “full pool”.Low lake levels can occur due to deliberate seasonal draw downs for irrigation or impending snow melt, reduced water inflows, drought and evaporation, residential or commercial water demands, and hydropower generation. Some lakes’ minimum and maximum elevations are virtually the same. Lakes that generate hydropower may vary by several feet – according to power demand. Lakes whose primary purpose is to prevent flooding can seasonally vary by 100 feet or more. When some lakes reach their minimum elevation, their boat ramps may not be long enough to permit boat access – and boats docked on shallow parts of the lake may end up on dry ground. In those cases, kayakers and shore-based anglers may be among the few happy recreational users of the lake.
A lake’s highest water level, measured by the lake’s surface distance above sea level, that can occur during flooding. A lake’s highest possible maximum elevation is usually the top of the lake’s dam or spillway. At lakes that include residential development, government regulations usually forbid the construction of homes below a lake’s maximum elevation.
You can find many of the world’s highest-elevated lakes on LakeLubbers. Lakes with the lowest elevations (known by LakeLubbers) are shown on the final page of that list. Note: For some lakes, "Altitude/Elevation" data is unknown, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 75 articles we have published for California lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US West Region > California > Compared by highest altitude/elevation in feet. This list does not represent all lakes in California, only the 75 California lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name | Elevation in feet | Lake description |
---|---|---|
New Bullards Bar Reservoir, CA (California, Gold Country Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
1,956 ft | Also known as Bullards Bar Reservoir New Bullards Bar Reservoir is located on the west side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Yuba County, California, surrounded by the Tahoe and Plumas N … |
Diamond Valley Lake, CA (California, Inland Empire Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
1,756 ft | Also known as Diamond Valley Reservoir Diamond Valley Lake lies between two mountains in California’s Inland Empire tourism region. The 4,500-acre lake is Southern California’s newest and l … |
Lake Elsinore, CA (California, Inland Empire Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
1,264 ft | Cradled at the foot of the Ortega Mountains and at the entrance to the Cleveland National Forest, Lake Elsinore enjoys an ideal location. At about 3,3 … |
Whiskeytown Lake, CA (California, Shasta Cascade Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
1,220 ft | Pristine Whiskeytown Lake is located 8 miles west of Redding in the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, a portion of the larger Shasta-Trinity Recre … |
Shasta Lake, CA (California, Shasta Cascade Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
1,076 ft | Shasta Lake, one of the largest lakes in California, is an outdoor paradise of fresh blue water, awe-inspiring caverns, investigative trails, first cl … |
Lake Oroville, CA (California, Shasta Cascade Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
900 ft | Also known as Oroville Reservoir Lake Oroville, snuggled into the Sierra Nevada Foothills about 75 miles north of Sacramento, is one of northern California’s favorite playgrounds. Boa … |
Don Pedro Lake, CA (California, Gold Country Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
830 ft | Also known as Lake Don Pedro, Don Pedro Reservoir Don Pedro Lake, also known as Don Pedro Reservoir and Lake Don Pedro, is nestled into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. With a surface are … |
Cachuma Lake (California, Central Coast Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
751 ft | Also known as Cachuma Reservoir, Lake Cachuma One of the most popular destination lakes along the California Central Coast is 3100-acre Cachuma Lake. In 1953, the federal Bureau of Reclamation con … |
Lake Sonoma, CA (California, North Coast Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
495 ft | In 1983 the US Army Corps of Engineers completed the Warm Springs Dam, and the almost limitless recreation opportunities of Sonoma County California e … |
Folsom Lake, CA (California, Gold Country Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
480 ft | Folsom Lake lays magnificently nestled along the American River at the base of the Sierra foothills. It is surrounded by an abundance of striking scen … |
Lake Berryessa, CA (California, Central Valley Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
456 ft | Lake Berryessa, nestled into the heart of California’s wine country, is the largest lake in Napa County. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation built the Mont … |
Lake Havasu, AZ/CA (Arizona, California, Desert Region, CA, US Southwest Region, US West Region, USA, West Coast Region, AZ) |
455 ft | Lake Havasu’s 20,400 acres, formed behind Parker Dam on the Colorado River, is a boating paradise. Around Lake Havasu City, the most recognizable sigh … |