02-05-2025
Watch California's Biggest Reservoir Fill Up in Timelapse Video
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Lake Shasta, California's largest reservoir, is nearing full capacity for the third consecutive year, signaling a dramatic recovery from the drought-stricken years of the early 2020s.
A timelapse video shared on social media earlier this week shows the impressive change the reservoir has undergone over the last three years. Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the reservoir, by email for comment.
Why It Matters
Lake Shasta is a critical part of California's water infrastructure. As the largest reservoir in the state, it represents 41 percent of the water in the Central Valley Project, a system that serves farms, homes and industry in the Central Valley, San Joaquin Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The reservoir's current condition is a marked contrast from late 2022, when the lake was just 31 percent full after several years of below-average rainfall. Thanks to a series of wet winters and robust snowpack, the state's biggest reservoir has steadily recovered—reaching full capacity in May 2023 and 2024.
A stock photo of Lake Shasta at full capacity.
A stock photo of Lake Shasta at full capacity.
Kirpal Kooner/Getty
What to Know
A timelapse shared on X, formerly Twitter, earlier this week shows images of the lake taken in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
"California's largest reservoir, Shasta Lake, is virtually full for the third straight year," extreme weather chaser Colin McCarthy posted with the video.
California's largest reservoir, Shasta Lake, is virtually full for the third straight year.
The reservoir holds nearly 1.5 trillion gallons of water, which is enough to cover the entire state of California in half an inch of water. — Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) April 30, 2025
Parts of the lakebed can be seen in the satellite image from 2022, and the images for the following years showcase the lake's recovery.
As of May 2, the reservoir's surface elevation stands at 1,061.41 feet—just 5.59 feet below its full pool of 1,067 feet, according to Lakes Online.
The lake has been steadily rising since November. At the beginning of 2022, Lake Shasta's water level sat at just 913.5 feet. By January 1, 2023, it was at 928 feet. A record-setting wet season during winter 2022-2023 brought an influx of runoff, lifting the lake above 1,062.9 feet by the end of April 2023.
The 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 winters followed with similarly wet conditions, including near-normal Sierra Nevada snowpack in early 2025. By April 1, California's snowpack was at 96 percent of the historical average, a key contributor to continued high inflows into Shasta and other major reservoirs.
Many of California's other reservoirs are also performing well, including Lake Oroville, which is expected to reach capacity for the third year in a row this year, the first time such a milestone has been reached.
What People Are Saying
A USBR spokesperson told Newsweek on April 28: "As of today, we are 5.11 feet from full at 97% and an elevation of 1,061.89. the last time we had three consecutive years of being full were 2010, 2011, 2012."
McCarthy said in his post: "The reservoir holds nearly 1.5 trillion gallons of water, which is enough to cover the entire state of California in half an inch of water."
What Happens Next
During 2023 and 2024, Lake Shasta peaked in early May. State water agencies are continuing to monitor Lake Shasta's levels closely. Officials have cautioned that despite current high water levels, preparation for future drought conditions remains a priority.
