You’ve probably seen the photos from a few years back. Those eerie, orange-tinted shots of a receding shoreline and sun-bleached boat ramps that didn't even reach the water. It felt like Shasta Lake was becoming a memory. But if you head up I-5 today, the view is jarringly different. Honestly, it’s a bit of a shock to the system.
As of mid-January 2026, the current water level of Shasta Lake is sitting at roughly 1,038 feet above sea level.
To put that in perspective, full pool is 1,067 feet. We are talking about a lake that is currently 82% full. That might not sound like a "wow" number until you realize that for this exact date in January, we are at 143% of the historical average. Basically, the lake is way ahead of schedule. We usually don't see these kinds of numbers until the spring snowmelt starts screaming down from the McCloud and Upper Sacramento rivers.
What’s actually happening at the dam right now?
The Bureau of Reclamation isn't just sitting back and watching the bathtub fill up. Because the water is so high so early, they’ve had to start playing a delicate game of "flood control Tetris."
When you look at the daily operations data from the Northern California Area Office, you'll see something interesting. They’ve been releasing water at a rate of about 14,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). Why? Because if a warm "Pineapple Express" storm hits tomorrow and melts the current snowpack, the lake could rise too fast. They need to keep "flood reservation" space—essentially an empty buffer at the top of the lake—to catch sudden surges.
Current storage is hovering around 3.74 million acre-feet. It's massive.
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The 2026 perspective: Drought vs. Deluge
For the first time in basically a generation—about 25 years, if you’re counting—California was declared 100% drought-free earlier this month. It sounds fake, right? But the U.S. Drought Monitor map for January 2026 actually shows no "Abnormally Dry" patches anywhere in the state.
Shasta is the poster child for this recovery.
Just look at the contrast:
- January 2026: 82% capacity (143% of average)
- January 2023: Roughly 34% capacity
- January 2022: A dismal 29% capacity
The recovery has been relentless. The late December storms of 2025 were the real MVP here. They dumped nearly 10 inches of rain directly into the basin in just a couple of weeks.
Is the "Houseboat Capital" back to normal?
If you’re planning a trip, the short answer is yes. But it's a "new" normal.
The shoreline is green again. If you've ever hiked the trails around the McCloud arm, you know how depressing it was to see miles of red dirt. Now, the water is back up into the trees. Most of the public boat ramps, like Jones Valley and Silverthorn, are fully operational without those sketchy temporary extensions.
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However, there’s a catch.
While the lake looks like a giant blue sapphire, water managers are looking at the Northern Sierra snowpack. Even though the lake is high, the snowpack in the mountains feeding it is only at about 68% of the seasonal average.
This creates a weird paradox. The lake is full now because of rain, but the "frozen reservoir" in the mountains isn't as deep as we'd like. If the rest of the winter stays dry, the lake level will drop faster than usual this summer because there won't be as much meltwater to replace what’s being used for downstream agriculture and salmon runs.
The controversy nobody mentions: Raising the dam
With the water levels hitting these heights, the talk about the Shasta Dam Raise Project has heated up again.
There's a proposal to raise the dam by about 18.5 feet. This would add roughly 634,000 acre-feet of storage. Proponents say, "Look, the lake is nearly full in January! We are wasting water by letting it flow out to the ocean. If we had a higher dam, we could catch this extra runoff."
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But it's not that simple.
The Winnemem Wintu Tribe and local environmental groups like Friends of the River are staunchly against it. Raising the water level another 18 feet would submerge sacred tribal sites along the McCloud River that are already on the edge. It would also potentially mess with the temperature of the water released for the winter-run Chinook salmon.
It’s a classic California water war: do we prioritize more storage for a growing population, or do we protect the existing ecosystem and cultural heritage?
Practical tips for visiting Shasta Lake this month
- Watch for debris: When the lake rises this fast, it picks up years of "driftwood"—which is a polite way of saying massive logs that can rip the lower unit off your boat motor. Stay centered in the channels.
- Check the ramps: While most are open, the high water can actually submerge some parking areas or lower docks. Check the Shasta Lake Water Level daily report before you haul the trailer up.
- Temperature check: The water is cold. Like, "instant-cramp" cold. It’s sitting around 45°F at the surface. This isn't the month for a casual swim.
- Fishing is "on": The high water has pushed nutrients into the lake, and the trout and landlocked salmon are active near the surface.
Honestly, seeing the current water level of Shasta Lake at these heights feels like a gift. After the "Lake Shasta bathtub ring" years, having a full reservoir is a huge relief for the local economy in Redding and the surrounding towns.
Next Steps for Your Trip
If you're heading out, download the California Water Watch app. It gives you real-time updates on bridge clearances—which actually matters now that the water is high enough to reach them. You should also verify your houseboat reservation early; with the lake looking this good, the summer 2026 booking season is expected to be one of the busiest on record. Keep an eye on the February precipitation forecasts, as that will determine if the Bureau can keep the lake at these peak levels through the Fourth of July.