New Melones Lake spans over 12,400 acres, with a maximum depth of approximately 230 feet. The lake is situated in the Sierra Nevada foothills, about 30 miles north of Sonora, California. Its shoreline stretches for over 100 miles, offering numerous coves, inlets, and bays. The lake's primary inflow and outflow is the Stanislaus River, which flows into and out of the reservoir.