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Cachuma Lake water level

Santa Ynez River · California · operated by USBR (Bradbury Dam)

By Mike, independent developer behind zovo.one. Readings pulled live from the same CDEC feed the operator reports to.

Cachuma Lake is 86% full as of Sep 20, 2026, per CDEC data; 9.0 ft below full pool.

86 % full
healthy 9.0 ft below full pool
CDEC 166,829 acre-ft · updated Sep 20, 2026
86%
percent full
744.1
water level (ft msl)
9.0
ft below full pool
−0.06
24-hour change (ft)
753
full pool (ft ref.)
0.19M
capacity (acre-ft)

At 744.05 ft, Cachuma Lake is higher than 78% of Septembers in 20 years of daily record. Full Cachuma Lake almanac, $19 → what is in it

Can I launch? Yes, most ramps usable.
Lake is well within its normal pool; most boat ramps are usable. Confirm your specific ramp, which can close independently of lake level.
~30-day trend · reservoir elevation
745.9 744.1 now 744.1

Is that normal for the date?

At 744.05 ft, Cachuma Lake is higher than 78% of Septembers in 20 years of daily record.

The full Cachuma Lake almanac, $1920 years of daily record, the normal band for all 366 days, and a tool that tells you how often the lake has been below your ramp or dock elevation. Instant download. See a sample almanac (Lake Powell)or all 19 lakes for $79Checkout runs on Stripe under our parent company, BeLikeNative (Autom8 LLC). That name appears on the receipt and card statement.

The median for this date across 20 years is 733.13 ft, so this is +10.92 ft against the lake’s own history. Placed on a quantile ladder built from 6,962 daily readings published by CDEC for site CCH, 2007-03-11 to 2026-08-06. This reservoir typically peaks in January and bottoms out in December.

How the level compares lately

Over the roughly 30-day series the gage fell 1.9 ft; the last 24 hours moved it down 0.1 ft. For readers outside the U.S., the surface is about 226.8 m above sea level.

Check any elevation yourself. Type a level in feet above sea level (a ramp cutoff, a marina mark) to see how far it sits below full pool and in meters.

About Cachuma Lake

Full pool
753 ft
Capacity
193,305 AF
Dam / operator
USBR (Bradbury Dam)
River / basin
Santa Ynez River
State
California
Data feed
CDEC

Going to Cachuma Lake?

Recreation-booking links (charters, boat rentals) appear here once partner accounts are wired. See the disclosure page.

Where these numbers come from

Every figure on this page is recomputed in code from a public government feed, never typed by hand. The live elevation is a CDEC gage reading; feet below full pool, the operating-band gaps, the ~30-day change, and the meter conversion are all derived from that one validated reading and the published reference elevations. The reading is timestamped in the gauge above, and LakeLevelNow pulls the same feed the operator reports to.

Questions about Cachuma Lake

How full is Cachuma Lake right now?
Cachuma Lake is about 86% full as of Sep 20, 2026.
Can I launch a boat at Cachuma Lake?
Lake is well within its normal pool; most boat ramps are usable. Confirm your specific ramp, which can close independently of lake level. Individual ramps open and close on their own schedules and on local hazards.
Where does Cachuma Lake's level come from?
LakeLevelNow pulls it from the CDEC public water-data feed (California Data Exchange). The reading is timestamped in the gauge above.
Who operates Cachuma Lake?
Cachuma Lake, on the Santa Ynez River, is operated by USBR (Bradbury Dam). Reservoir releases, flood-control drawdowns, and water-supply decisions are theirs.

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