Big Bear Lake Water Levels Reach Highest Levels Since 2012

New data released from the Big Bear Municipal Water District found that the lake is currently at it’s most full since 2012, and is only 4 feet shy of becoming full for the first time since 2010.

Only two years ago, the state was facing a record-breaking drought. With a lack of rain falling and local urban and agricultural centers demanding more water after aquifer levels began dropping with over usage, reservoirs such as Lake Shasta and Lake Oroville began to see record lows. Pumping limits were implemented, many farms were cut off, and many reduction targets were put into place. Near the end of 2022, with the state under drought conditions, many scientists predicted that the drought would last years.

Then a wave of major storms hit the state in January and March of 2023. Reservoir and snowpack levels quickly grew, with reservoirs filling back up and snowpack levels going to over 250% of where they needed to be for the state to have adequate summer water. Last year, on the critical April 1st date, snowpack levels were measured at 237% with reservoirs being found to be near full brim, staving off drought conditions for 2023. For the first time since 2006, all water requests would be filled by the DWR. In November, the state became drought free for the first time since 2020. However, scientists again warned that this was a fluke year.

However, it was anything but. Many storms came again in the first three months of the year. By March, Lake Shasta was so full that water had to be pumped out of it. In April, state snowpack levels were found to be at 113%, officially meaning that California would have more than enough water yet again. And last month, Lake Oroville reached full capacity. But, down in Southern California, where water tends to be a little harder to corral, water was slowly bouncing back in many areas as well.

Against all odds, it was announced on Friday that Big Bear Lake, one of SoCal’s top tourist destinations in San Bernadino County, had reached 68 feet, the highest it has been since 2012. Only 6 years ago in 2018 the Lake had reached it’s all-time low of 54 feet, with many water experts predicting even more drops because of upcoming droughts.

But, as noted, the droughts never came in 2023 and 2024. Big Bear bounced back up quickly thanks to the amount of meltwater coming in. It is now expected that the lake is to gain another 4 feet and return to full capacity of 72 feet. Big Bear Lake has not seen full capacity since 2010.

SoCal water levels increase

“It’s magical, because the lake is so pretty, and it’s so blue. We have a lot of native plants that are coming back, which we haven’t seen because it had been so dry,” explained Big Bear Municipal Water District interim general manager Brittany Lamson. “In 2018, we were down by 18-and-a-half feet, which was very sad. We had a lot of beachfront property at that point, because there was so much shoreline exposed.