Overview

In 1944, Congress authorized the construction of New Melones Dam to prevent flooding of 35,000 downstream acres of agricultural lands and communities. The 1962 Flood Control Act included irrigation, power, wildlife and fishery enhancement, recreation, and water quality as reasons for construction.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began building New Melones in 1966, completing the dam in 1978 and the spillway and powerhouse in 1979; the Corps then transferred the project to the Bureau of Reclamation. When the reservoir filled, the 211-foot-high old Melones Dam, built in 1926 by the Oakdale and South San Joaquin Irrigation Districts to provide water for agriculture, was inundated.

Today, New Melones is part of Reclamation’s Central Valley Project. It is located off of Highway 49, some 8 miles north of Sonora and 6 miles south of Angels Camp, in the Southern Mother Lode. Each year, some 800,000 visitors enjoy New Melones’ numerous recreational opportunities. Facilities include day use areas; boat launch ramps; more than 300 campsites; hiking, biking and equestrian trails; a visitor center and museum; and abundant water-based recreation.

General

Dimensions

Hydraulics & Hydrology