New Spicer Meadow Reservoir, reservoir in Sierra Nevada

New Spicer Meadow Reservoir is a 189,000 acre-foot reservoir at 6,621 feet elevation in the Sierra Nevada, within Stanislaus National Forest near the Alpine County line. Its 265-foot rock-fill New Spicer Meadow Dam on Highland Creek was completed in 1989. Water also arrives from the North Fork Stanislaus River via the North Fork Diversion Dam and a two-mile tunnel.

The current reservoir was rebuilt in 1989 to replace an earlier one. The lake is managed by the Calaveras County Water District and serves as a recreation and conservation area in the region today.

The lake is a gathering place for people seeking quiet outdoor recreation in the Sierra Nevada. Fishing, paddling, and camping shape how visitors experience and use this place, with the water and surrounding forest creating a rhythm of simple, nature-centered activities.

The lake is reached by driving about 9 miles from Highway 4 on Spicer Meadow Reservoir Road, which winds through forested hills. Access is straightforward during warmer months, though the road closes in winter due to snow.

The reservoir is held back by a 265-foot rock-fill dam completed in 1989, and its 5.5-MW hydroelectric plant at the dam's base sells power alongside the Northern California Power Agency. Water also arrives through a two-mile tunnel from the North Fork Diversion Dam on the North Fork of the Stanislaus River.