New Melones Lake
Calaveras County, California8,957 acresView mapDirections
SWRCB publishes the water-quality measurements for New Melones Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
New Melones Lake in Calaveras County, California has water-quality measurements published by SWRCB, shown here as reported. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Surface area: 8957 acres.
New Melones Lake is a 8,957-acre lake in Calaveras County, California. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency, last sampled 2017-07-19. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What New Melones Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Camping2 public campgrounds nearby
- Big water8,957 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. New Melones Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether New Melones Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the California State Water Resources Control Board and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for New Melones Lake
These are the measurements SWRCB publishes for New Melones Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a 3 µg/L.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3µg/L | Measured, not scored The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. |
Ask about New Melones Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
8,957 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by SWRCB
No bathymetric survey has been published for New Melones Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- New Melones Lake (Tuttletown)Public
- New Melones Lake (Glory Hole)Public
- New Melones Lake MarinaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near New Melones Lake
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near New Melones Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near New Melones Lake in Calaveras County, California — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near New Melones Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Follow New Melones Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing New Melones Lake
EPA Impairment Status
New Melones Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Other.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit CAL5342101020020430113521 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Calaveras County
Frequently asked questions about New Melones Lake
Where is New Melones Lake?
- New Melones Lake is a lake in Calaveras County, California. Its water-quality measurements are published by SWRCB and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of New Melones Lake?
- New Melones Lake in Calaveras County, California has water-quality measurements published by SWRCB, shown here as reported. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Surface area: 8957 acres.
Is New Melones Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. New Melones Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on New Melones Lake?
- New Melones Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include New Melones Lake (Tuttletown), New Melones Lake (Glory Hole), New Melones Lake Marina. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at New Melones Lake?
- New Melones Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by California's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Are there campgrounds on New Melones Lake?
- New Melones Lake has 2 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Tuttletown Recreation Area, Glory Hole Recreation Area. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore New Melones Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in California
Other Lakes in California
Where this data comes from
Measurements for New Melones Lake come from the EPA Water Quality Portal. Per-sample source details are not recorded for this lake.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles