States

Donner Lake

near Truckee, CA · California · USGS gauge
5,9345,9355,9365,9375,938
Water level · NAVD88
5,935.91FT
Gauge elevation · no % full published
7 days −0.88 ft30 days −1.29 ftvs last year −0.92 ft
Reading for Oct 25, 2026, 18:00 UTC · page refreshed Oct 25, 21:05 UTC
Source: U.S. Geological Survey (Water Data for the Nation)
Worth going today?Today
Looks good
Light wind, dry
Wind5 to 10 mph
Rain0%
Temp61°F
Level5,935.9 ft
TodayPartly Sunny · 61°F
SW 5 to 10 mph · rain 0%
TonightPartly Cloudy · 35°F
SW 5 to 15 mph · rain 4%
NWS forecast for the gauge location. Good = wind ≤ 10 mph and rain ≤ 30%; storms are flagged. Not safety advice – check local conditions, closures and warnings.

Field notes

On Oct 25, 2026, Donner Lake was at 5,935.91 (NAVD88) ft.

Over the past 7 days the lake has been falling (−0.88 ft), and it is −1.29 ft over 30 days.

Compared with a year ago (5,936.83 ft, same time of day), the lake is 0.92 ft lower.

Readings come from the USGS gauge “DONNER LK NR TRUCKEE CA”. Gauge elevations are not directly comparable between lakes because each uses its own datum.

Lake facts

Gauge / stationDONNER LK NR TRUCKEE CA
Elevation datumft (NAVD88)
Gauge location39.3249, -120.2824

Nearby lakes

Prosser Creek Reservoir9 mi NE5,713.19 ft−2.35 ftIndependence Lake9 mi N6,947.54 ft−0.14 ftBoca Reservoir11 mi NE5,569.04 ft−1.93 ftStampede Reservoir14 mi NE5,924.52 ft−0.34 ftMarlette Lake23 mi SE · NV18.42 ft+0.08 ft

Common questions

Is Donner Lake rising or falling?

Over the last 7 days it changed −0.88 ft and over 30 days −1.29 ft.

How full is Donner Lake?

USGS publishes the water surface elevation for this gauge but not a percent-full figure, so we don't show one rather than estimate it.

How often is this page updated?

The page is rebuilt automatically every day from USGS's published data. Values can be revised later by the source agency.

Where does the data come from?

The U.S. Geological Survey's Water Data API (api.waterdata.usgs.gov), which publishes readings from USGS and partner gauges. Forecasts come from the National Weather Service.

Latest instantaneous reading; 7-day, 30-day and year-ago changes compare readings at the same hour. USGS data are provisional and subject to revision. This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USGS. See data sources.