11269500 LAKE MCCLURE AT EXCHEQUER, CA
LOCATION.-Lat 37°35'02", long 120°16'09", in NW 1/4 SE 1/4 sec.13, T.4 S., R.15 E., Mariposa County,
Hydrologic Unit 18040008, on left end of New Exchequer Dam on Merced River, 0.9 mi east of Exchequer, and 5.5 mi
northeast of Merced Falls.
DRAINAGE AREA.-1,037 mi2.
PERIOD OF RECORD.-April 1926 to September 1930 (daily gage heights; also summary of yearly contents in WSP 881),
October 1930 to current year.
REVISED RECORDS.-WSP 881: 1926-32 (yearly summaries only). WSP 1345: 1951(M). WSP 1930: Drainage area.
GAGE.-Water-stage recorder. Datum of gage is sea level (levels by Merced Irrigation District). Prior to Oct. 1,
1964, indicator in powerplant at same datum. Oct. 1, 1964, to July 31, 1966, nonrecording gage at center of
upstream face of dam at same datum.
REMARKS.-Reservoir is formed by a rockfill dam with a reinforced concrete face completed in March 1967. Dam is
downstream from and connected to the original concrete arch and gravity-type dam which was completed in April
1926. Usable capacity, 1,024,000 acre-ft between elevations 440.0 ft, invert entrance to outlet tunnel, and 867.0
ft, top of spillway gates. Dead storage, 300 acre-ft. Water is released through Exchequer Powerplant (staion
11269700) down the Merced River to a diversion dam for Merced Irrigation District's main canal.
COOPERATION.-Records were provided by Pacific Gas and Electric Company 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, 1,026,000 acre-ft, July 14, 15, 1969, elevation, 867.2 ft;
practically no storage at times in 1926, 1930-31, 1964-65 when reservoir was drained for inspection or
construction. Minimum since construction of New Exchequer Dam in 1966 and since lake first filled, 66,100
acre-ft, Feb. 28, 1991, elevation, 588.4 ft.
EXTREMES FOR CURRENT YEAR.-Maximum contents, 920,200 acre-ft, June 25, maximum elevation, 851.72 ft; minimum,
666,600 acre-ft, Jan. 17, minimum elevation, 808.09 ft.
Capacity table (elevation, in feet, and contents, in acre-feet)
(Based on table provided by Merced Irrigation District, dated June 1966)
590 67,900 640 137,800 720 317,800 840 845,800
600 79,900 660 173,500 750 415,900 860 975,700
610 92,800 680 215,200 780 534,500 870 1,046,000
620 106,700 700 263,000 820 729,600
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 771200 675900 676100 674500 675300 700100 695200 706100 866800 913200 824900 739300
2 766800 675100 677000 674400 675800 700400 695100 706100 871700 912100 821800 737000
3 762800 674900 678000 674100 676300 700000 694300 706500 875100 909900 818500 734800
4 757900 674500 678800 673800 676600 699600 694100 705200 877300 907700 815600 732500
5 752600 674300 678500 673400 676400 699300 694700 705100 879000 905500 812600 730400
6 749100 674000 678400 672800 676700 698800 694400 705500 880600 902500 809900 728300
7 743900 673900 678400 672400 683900 698100 695500 707300 882900 899700 806400 726200
8 738700 673800 678200 670300 692300 697300 698500 711200 885300 897300 805300 723800
9 733800 673700 678000 669700 704700 697500 701300 714200 887800 893700 802000 721500
10 729100 673600 678100 669300 706900 696800 703100 717500 890000 892200 798900 719100
11 724400 673800 678000 669000 706000 696300 703600 720900 893100 889900 796400 716700
12 719500 673700 677800 668500 704900 695500 703200 727200 896000 887400 794100 714800
13 714700 673800 677600 667900 704000 695000 703000 733900 899200 884700 791000 712600
14 710100 673700 677400 667300 704200 694400 703500 738600 902700 882000 788400 710800
15 705300 673800 677300 666800 703500 693400 704200 742800 905700 879400 785200 708500
16 701200 673800 677100 666700 703000 692600 705400 746900 908600 874400 783000 706400
17 698200 674100 677200 666600 704100 692200 705700 751600 911000 872900 780000 704500
18 695400 674500 677300 666700 704300 692200 707000 757900 913200 869800 777600 702600
19 693500 674900 677300 669500 703200 692200 710900 763700 914400 866500 774800 700500
20 692000 674300 678000 675900 700800 692400 710500 769800 916100 863600 771100 698900
21 690000 673100 677300 677600 700900 692200 710600 777100 918700 860600 769300 697100
22 688800 673100 676400 675800 700700 692000 709400 784700 919400 857100 766400 695700
23 687000 673000 675800 675500 700400 692400 e708600 794000 919800 853900 763300 693800
24 685200 673000 675500 675400 700000 692100 707800 803400 919900 851000 760800 692100
25 683700 673200 675400 673800 699900 692100 707500 813300 920200 847700 757700 690400
26 682000 673400 675300 673000 699500 692400 e707400 823000 919400 844500 755000 688500
27 680400 673500 674900 672900 699500 693100 707400 832000 919500 841400 751700 686500
28 678800 673200 674500 672700 699600 693600 707900 840400 917100 838200 749300 684900
29 677800 673600 674800 673300 --- 694200 707900 848700 916000 834900 746700 683000
30 677200 674300 675200 673800 --- 695000 706500 855200 914700 831600 743800 680800
31 676500 --- 674800 674500 --- 695000 --- 861300 --- 828300 741800 ---
MAX 771200 675900 678800 677600 706900 700400 710900 861300 920200 913200 824900 739300
MIN 676500 673000 674500 666600 675300 692000 694100 705100 866800 828300 741800 680800
a 810.02 809.59 809.70 809.63 814.44 813.57 815.73 842.50 850.87 837.12 822.21 810.85
b -104900 -2200 +500 -300 +25100 -4600 +11500 +154800 +53400 -86400 -86500 -61000
c 113900 9770 21480 44460 87600 72070 116800 131300 111900 132100 97740 60020
CAL YR 1998 b +87900
WTR YR 1999 b -100600
e Estimated.
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