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Black Butte Lake Water Level Today

Daily level, distance to full pool and history for Black Butte Lake, on the Stony Creek in California.

Updated · Source: US Army Corps of EngineersUSACE Provisional

Water level Provisional

436.01ft

msl · 7:00 AM PST, Nov 9, 2026

  • 37.49 ftbelow full pool (473.5 ft)
  • 25,057acre-ft in storage
  • +0.07 ftin 24 h+0.32 ft in 7 days+1.58 ft in 30 days
430440450460470480490430440450460470480490430440450460470480490
  • Full pool
  • 1 yr ago

Is Black Butte Lake full?

No. Black Butte Lake is 37.49 ft below full pool (473.5 ft). It is 9.03 ft lower than a year ago (445.04 ft on Nov 9, 2025).

Black Butte Lake level history

View data table
DateLevel (ft)
Nov 9, 2026436.01
Nov 8, 2026435.95
Nov 7, 2026435.87
Nov 6, 2026435.79
Nov 5, 2026435.74
Nov 4, 2026435.72
Nov 3, 2026435.70
Nov 2, 2026435.68
Nov 1, 2026435.67
Oct 31, 2026435.65
Oct 30, 2026435.64
Oct 29, 2026435.72
Oct 28, 2026435.88
Oct 27, 2026435.99
Oct 26, 2026435.89
Oct 25, 2026435.45
Oct 24, 2026434.93
Oct 23, 2026434.43
Oct 22, 2026434.04
Oct 21, 2026433.78
Oct 20, 2026433.72
Oct 19, 2026433.71
Oct 18, 2026433.36
Oct 17, 2026432.89
Oct 16, 2026432.47
Oct 15, 2026432.51
Oct 14, 2026432.87
Oct 13, 2026433.41
Oct 12, 2026433.95
Oct 11, 2026434.23
Oct 10, 2026434.43
  • Black Butte Lake level
  • Full pool 473.5 ft
  • Above full pool
Source: USACE · Daily averages since 1963

Black Butte Lake on Nov 9 in past years

Black Butte Lake water level on Nov 9 in past years
YearLevel (ft)vs todayvs full pool
2026today436.01—−37.49 ft
2025445.04+9.03−28.46 ft
2024436.98+0.97−36.52 ft
2023443.96+7.95−29.54 ft
2022438.74+2.73−34.76 ft
2021440.40+4.39−33.10 ft
2020431.30−4.71−42.20 ft
2019439.28+3.27−34.22 ft
2018433.72−2.29−39.78 ft
2017439.40+3.39−34.10 ft
2016440.54+4.53−32.96 ft

Today’s level is the lowest for this date since 2020.

Lake facts

Full pool (conservation pool)
473.5 ft msl
Bottom of conservation pool
414.6 ft msl
Record high since 1967
478.76 ftFeb 19, 1986
Record low since 1967
397.20 ftNov 7, 1977
Data since
Oct 2, 1963
Dam
Black Butte Damcompleted 1963
River
Stony Creek
Operated by
US Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District
Dam location
Tehama County
Gauge location
39.8139, −122.3367

Dam, river and owner from the National Inventory of Dams (USACE). Records start in 1967, after the first filling of the reservoir.

Black Butte Lake map and depth

  • Dam and level gauge
Shoreline © OpenStreetMap contributors · Open the full map
Average depth when full
about 40 ftcapacity ÷ surface area
Surface area
about 3,390 acresmeasured on the OpenStreetMap outline
Height of Black Butte Dam
156 ftNational Inventory of Dams

The outline shows the mapped shoreline, not today’s water line: when the lake is low, the water stands back from it.

Weather on the lake

  1. Today72°FHighLow 48°FE 5 mphMostly Sunny
  2. Tonight48°FLowNNW 2–7 mphMostly Clear
  3. Tuesday76°FHighLow 47°FNNW 3–9 mphSunny
  4. Wednesday72°FHighLow 47°FNE 5 mphSunny
  5. Thursday70°FHighLow 47°FNE 5 mphMostly Sunny
  6. Friday68°FHighLow 47°FS 5–10 mphSlight Chance Light Rain
  7. Saturday65°FHighLow 45°FSSE 5–15 mphChance Light Rain

Forecast: National Weather Service for the dam area (39.81, −122.34). Wind speeds are forecasts, not measurements.

Nearby lakes

Quick answers

What is the full pool level of Black Butte Lake?
473.5 ft above mean sea level, the top of its conservation pool. Above it, the extra water is flood storage that is later released downstream through Black Butte Dam.
How much does Black Butte Lake need to be full?
Black Butte Lake needs 37.49 ft more water to reach full pool (473.5 ft), as of Nov 9, 2026.
How deep is Black Butte Lake?
Black Butte Lake is about 40 ft deep on average when full: 136,200 acre-ft of storage spread over about 3,390 acres of surface. As in most reservoirs, the deepest water is in the old river channel near Black Butte Dam.
Is Black Butte Lake rising or falling?
It is rising: +0.32 ft in the last 7 days and +0.07 ft in 24 hours, to 436.01 ft on 7:00 AM PST, Nov 9, 2026 (US Army Corps of Engineers).
When was Black Butte Lake last full?
It was last at or above full pool (473.5 ft) on Mar 12, 1995. On Nov 9, 2026 it was 37.49 ft below.
What was the highest level ever recorded?
Black Butte Lake reached 478.76 ft on Feb 19, 1986. The lowest was 397.20 ft on Nov 7, 1977 (USACE data since 1967).
How much has Black Butte Lake changed in the last year?
In the last 12 months it ranged from 432.47 ft (Oct 16, 2026) to 465.40 ft (May 4, 2026), a swing of 32.93 ft.
How often is this page updated?
This page is updated several times a day with the latest reading from US Army Corps of Engineers. The last reading is from 7:00 AM PST, Nov 9, 2026.

Where this data comes from

Hourly pool elevation from the US Army Corps of Engineers (water.usace.army.mil). Recent readings are provisional and may be revised. Weather from the National Weather Service. Dam details from the National Inventory of Dams.

Lake Levels Daily is an independent site, not affiliated with TWDB, LCRA, USACE, USGS, NOAA, TVA or any lake operator. Check official sources before making safety decisions.