11427400  FRENCH MEADOWS RESERVOIR NEAR FORESTHILL, CA

LOCATION.--Lat 39°06'32", long 120°25'49", in SW 1/4 NE 1/4 sec.32, T.15 N., R.14 E., Placer County, Hydrologic
   Unit 18020128, Tahoe National Forest, on left bank 2.2 mi upstream from dam on Middle Fork American River,
   6.9 mi upstream from Chipmunk Creek, and 21 mi northeast of Foresthill.

DRAINAGE AREA.--47.0 mi2.

PERIOD OF RECORD.--December 1964 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. 21, 1964.  Usable capacity,
   125,601 acre-ft between elevations 5,125 ft, minimum operating level, and 5,263 ft, top of radial gates.  Dead
   storage, 10,804 acre-ft.  Reservoir is used to store water for hydroelectric power.  Up to 400 ft3/s diverted
   from Duncan Creek through a tunnel to reservoir.  Water is released through a tunnel to French Meadows
   Powerplant (station 11427200) at Hell Hole Reservoir (station 11428700) on the Rubicon River; releases began
   Dec. 13, 1965.  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, 137,700 acre-ft, May 19, 1966, elevation, 5,263.9 ft; minimum
   since reservoir first filled, 28,500 acre-ft, Oct. 21-24, 1991, elevation, 5,157.6 ft.

EXTREMES FOR CURRENT YEAR.--Maximum contents, 136,400 acre-ft, May 16, elevation, 5,263.0 ft; minimum,
   56,500 acre-ft, Nov. 22-24, 28-30, Dec. 1, elevation, 5,193.6 ft.

                         Capacity table (elevation, in feet, and contents, in acre-feet)
                            (Based on a survey by Placer County Water Agency in 1965)

                                     5,125    10,800            5,200     62,400
                                     5,130    13,100            5,230     94,100
                                     5,150    23,700            5,270    146,500
                                     5,170    37,100

                    RESERVOIR STORAGE (ACRE-FEET), WATER YEAR OCTOBER 1995 TO SEPTEMBER 1996
                                        DAILY OBSERVATION AT 2400 HOURS

DAY       OCT      NOV      DEC      JAN      FEB      MAR      APR      MAY      JUN      JUL      AUG      SEP

  1     90600    69500    56500    65900    77900   105300   105000   124900   135400   129400   113500   100200
  2     90000    69200    56600    66300    78100   104800   105400   126000   135400   128900   113000    99800
  3     89300    68500    56600    66600    78300   104700   105600   126800   135400   128500   112500    99500
  4     88600    67800    56700    66900    82600   104700   105800   127600   135400   128100   111900    99100
  5     87900    67000    56800    67100    87400   104500   106100   128200   135400   127600   111400    98800
  6     87100    66300    56800    67300    89500   104200   106900   128700   135400   127200   110800    98400
  7     86500    65600    56900    67500    90900   103900   108100   129300   135400   126700   110200    98100
  8     85800    64800    56900    67700    92000   103600   109000   129700   135400   126100   109700    97700
  9     85100    64200    56900    67900    93000   103200   110100   130100   135300   125700   109100    97200
 10     84400    63400    56900    68000    94000   103200   111000   130500   135300   125200   108600    96900

 11     83700    62700    57600    68200    95000   103300   111700   131100   135100   124800   108100    96400
 12     83100    62100    61900    68300    95700   103400   112200   131800   134900   124300   107500    96100
 13     82300    61300    62700    68500    96300   103200   112900   132800   134600   123700   106900    95700
 14     81500    60600    62700    68600    96800   103000   113500   133700   134300   123200   106400    95400
 15     80900    59900    62500    68800    97200   102700   114100   135700   133900   122800   105600    95100
 16     80100    59200    62700    70600    98100   102500   115800   135000   133600   122200   105100    94800
 17     79400    58500    62800    71700   100000   102500   116700   134700   133200   121700   104800    94400
 18     79000    58400    62900    72600   101400   102600   117200   134700   132800   121000   104400    94000
 19     78200    58200    63000    73300   104300   102800   117500   134400   132300   120500   104000    93600
 20     77600    57700    63100    73700   105900   103200   117900   135000   131900   120000   103700    93300

 21     76900    57000    63200    74200   106700   103600   118000   136000   131400   119500   103300    92800
 22     76100    56500    63300    74600   107000   103900   118200   135400   130900   118900   103000    92600
 23     75400    56500    63400    75000   107000   104000   118500   135400   130800   118300   102600    92200
 24     74700    56500    63400    75600   107000   103900   119100   135700   130900   117800   102100    91900
 25     73900    56600    63500    75900   106900   103800   119700   136000   131100   117200   101900    91500
 26     73300    56600    63500    76100   106600   103800   120700   136100   131200   116600   101500    91100
 27     72600    56600    63600    76700   106400   103800   121400   136100   131100   116200   101500    90700
 28     71800    56500    63700    77000   106000   104400   122100   136000   130700   115700   101400    90500
 29     71100    56500    63900    77200   105600   104500   122800   135800   130200   115200   101300    90200
 30     70400    56500    64700    77400      ---   104500   123800   135700   130000   114500   100800    90000
 31     69700      ---    65400    77600      ---   104500      ---   135600      ---   114000   100400      ---

MAX     90600    69500    65400    77600   107000   105300   123800   136100   135400   129400   113500   100200
MIN     69700    56500    56500    65900    77900   102500   105000   124900   130000   114000   100400    90000
 a     5207.4   5193.6   5203.1   5215.1   5239.7   5238.8   5253.9   5262.4   5258.4   5246.4   5235.4   5226.4
 b     -21600   -13200    +8900   +12200   +28000    -1100   +19300   +11800    -5600   -16000   -13600   -10400

CAL YR 1995  b +23300
WTR YR 1996  b  -1300

  a Elevation, in feet, at end of month.
  b Change in contents, in acre-feet.