11428700 HELL HOLE RESERVOIR NEAR MEEKS BAY, CA
LOCATION.-Lat 39°03'54", long 120°24'50", in SE 1/4 NW 1/4 sec.16, T.14 N., R.14 E., Placer County,
Hydrologic Unit 18020128, Eldorado National Forest, on right bank, 0.3 mi upstream from Hell Hole Dam, on Rubicon
River, and 15.6 mi west of Meeks Bay.
DRAINAGE AREA.-114 mi2.
PERIOD OF RECORD.-December 1965 to current year.
GAGE.-Water-stage recorder. Datum of gage is sea level (levels by Placer County Water Agency).
REMARKS.-Reservoir is formed by rockfill dam with earth core. Storage began Dec. 6, 1965. Usable capacity,
207,342 acre-ft between elevations 4,287.65 ft, invert of river outlet, and 4,630.0 ft, crest of ogee spillway.
Dead storage 248 acre-ft. Reservoir is used to store water for hydroelectric power. Water is diverted into
reservoir from French Meadows Reservoir (11427400) on the Middle Fork American River through French Meadows
Powerplant (station 11427200). Water is diverted out of reservoir to the Middle Fork American River though Middle
Fork Powerplant. See schematic diagram of Middle Fork American and Rubicon River Basins.
COOPERATION.-Records provided by Placer County Water Agency, under general supervision of the U.S. Geological
Survey, in connection with a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission project.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD.-Maximum contents, 217,400 acre-ft, Jan. 2, 1997, elevation, 4,637.7 ft; minimum
since reservoir first filled, 37,499 acre-ft, Mar. 23, 1973, elevation, 4,428.28 ft.
EXTREMES FOR CURRENT YEAR.-Maximum contents, 204,600 acre-ft, June 18, elevation, 4,627.6 ft; minimum, 98,200
acre-ft, Apr. 12, elevation, 4,520.0 ft.
Capacity table (elevation, in feet, and contents, in acre-feet)
(Based on survey by Placer County Water Agency in 1966)
4,340 5,220 4,400 24,200 4,550 122,700
4,360 9,840 4,450 49,600 4,600 171,900
4,380 16,200 4,500 83,000 4,650 233,400
RESERVOIR STORAGE (ACRE-FEET), WATER YEAR OCTOBER 1998 TO SEPTEMBER 1999
DAILY OBSERVATION AT 2400 HOURS
DAY OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP
1 143100 155600 144200 114400 108700 101800 99900 118700 188800 200400 178100 149300
2 143500 155400 143800 113200 108300 101800 99700 120200 191500 199900 177200 148200
3 144100 155100 144200 112200 107800 102900 99700 121200 193000 198900 176400 146700
4 144600 155100 144000 111200 107500 103300 99700 122000 193900 198400 175800 145600
5 145000 155000 143800 110100 107100 103300 99500 122700 195100 197800 175300 144700
6 145400 154900 143500 109100 106500 103400 99500 124300 196800 196800 174500 143800
7 145800 154800 143100 108000 108100 103600 99400 126300 198400 196000 173700 142700
8 146200 154500 142600 107000 109200 103300 99300 128000 199400 195100 172900 141500
9 146700 154200 142100 106100 111300 102900 99100 129700 200500 194300 172100 140700
10 147100 153900 141500 105500 111800 102600 98900 131000 201400 193600 171200 139600
11 147700 153700 141000 104600 111400 102200 98500 132900 202400 192600 170200 138300
12 148200 153400 140000 103800 111000 101700 98200 135300 202700 191600 169300 137700
13 148800 153200 139200 103100 110500 101300 98400 137400 203100 191000 168500 136500
14 149200 152700 138000 102500 110000 101000 98700 138900 203700 190400 168000 135400
15 149600 152100 136800 101900 109300 100600 99100 139900 204000 189700 167200 134400
16 150200 151600 135700 101700 108600 100200 99600 141100 204200 189000 166300 133300
17 150500 150900 134700 101900 109400 100000 100600 142900 204500 188400 165400 132300
18 151000 150100 133400 103900 109200 99900 102000 144800 204600 188100 164300 131400
19 151600 149300 132300 105400 108600 99900 103400 146900 204300 187400 163300 131300
20 152100 148400 130700 108000 108000 99800 105000 149000 204100 186900 162200 131600
21 152600 147600 129100 108900 107600 99900 106900 151200 204000 186100 161300 132000
22 153000 146900 127400 109100 106700 99600 107500 154000 204100 185500 160200 132400
23 153500 147000 125700 110300 105800 99500 109200 157200 204100 184900 159200 133000
24 154300 146600 124100 110700 104700 99200 110300 160900 204100 184300 158200 133200
25 154800 145900 122900 110900 104000 99000 111800 164400 203700 183800 157100 133700
26 155400 145100 121900 111000 102700 99200 113900 169000 203200 183000 156000 134100
27 155500 144300 120800 110800 102000 99700 115500 173000 202600 182500 155000 134500
28 156300 143500 119600 110400 101600 100200 116300 176900 202000 181600 153800 134900
29 156500 143200 118300 110000 --- 100400 116700 180100 201400 180700 152800 135300
30 156400 144400 116700 109500 --- 100200 117500 183000 200800 179700 151700 135600
31 155900 --- 115200 109100 --- 100000 --- 186100 --- 178900 150500 ---
MAX 156500 155600 144200 114400 111800 103600 117500 186100 204600 200400 178100 149300
MIN 143100 143200 115200 101700 101600 99000 98200 118700 188800 178900 150500 131300
a 4585.3 4573.9 4541.1 4533.7 4524.3 4522.3 4543.8 4612.3 4624.5 4606.2 4580.0 4564.6
b +13200 -11500 -29200 -6100 -7500 -1600 +17500 +68600 +14700 -21900 -28400 -14900
CAL YR 1998 b +60700
WTY YR 1999 b -7100
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