Lake Perris

Last updated

Lake Perris
16 Rock Mountains To The East Of Lake.jpg
Lake Perris State Recreation Area
Relief map of California.png
Red pog.svg
Lake Perris
LocationLake Perris State Recreation Area
Riverside County, California
Coordinates 33°51′25″N117°10′30″W / 33.857°N 117.175°W / 33.857; -117.175
Type Reservoir
Basin  countries United States
Max. depth100 ft (30 m)
Surface elevation1,595 ft (486 m)
Islands Alessandro Island
References U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Perris Reservoir

Lake Perris is an artificial lake completed in 1973. [1] It is the southern terminus of the California State Water Project, situated in a mountain-rimmed valley between Moreno Valley and Perris, in what is now the Lake Perris State Recreation Area. The park offers a variety of recreational activities. Because of this and the lake's proximity to major population centers, it is very crowded during the summer months.

Contents

The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has issued a safe eating advisory for any fish caught in the Lake Perris due to elevated levels of mercury and PCBs. [2]

Ya'i Heki' Regional Indian Museum

The Ya'i Heki' Regional Indian Museum tells the story of the monumental State Water Project and focuses on the culture and history of the native peoples of the southern California desert region.

Geography

Lake Perris is 1,560 feet (480 m) above sea level and is ringed by hills and small mountains. It impounds 131,400 acre-feet (162,100,000 m3) of water behind a 2-mile (3 km) long, 128 foot (39 m) tall, chevron-shaped earthfill dam. The untended areas of Lake Perris are somewhat rocky and barren.

An artificial reef exists on the lake floor made of old tires. The reef was created to provide a habitat for fish. [1]

Flora and fauna

The predominant plant community, coastal sage scrub, is host to a variety of birds and wildlife. Mule deer, roadrunners, bobcats, coyotes, rabbits, quail, gopher snakes and rattlesnakes may sometimes be seen by day, though they tend to shy away from people. More frequently seen are a wide variety of lizards, rodents, water fowl, and birds of prey. Beautiful displays of wildflowers occur during the rainy season, generally November through April.

The coastal sage scrub community is predominant on the south-facing slopes of the Russell mountains and Bernasconi hills and is characterized by shrubby plants including desert encelia, brittlebush, sagebrush, Californian black sage, Californian white sage, buckwheat, and cacti. Conditions are somewhat shadier on hillsides that face north or northwest so that chaparral plants such as chamise, penstemon, and poison oak are found.

Remnants of the original perennial grasses that once flourished in this region can still be found in the flat interior of the park surrounding the lake, but the majority of plants that now make up the valley grassland community (including Russian thistle) were imported from Europe by early settlers. Riparian areas near springs and seeps, and on east and south lakes include willows, cattails, elderberry and nettles.

More than a hundred species of birds have been spotted at Lake Perris. Many are migratory, and stop at the park briefly during their travels, while others make their permanent residence here. Meadowlarks, loggerhead shrikes, roadrunners, California thrashers, quail, wrens, sparrows, hummingbirds, golden eagles, several varieties of hawks, ospreys, and even bald eagles may be seen. Many varieties of waterfowl use the lake including pintails, American wigeons, green-winged teals, mallards, shovelers, various geese, and sometimes tundra swans and pelicans. black-necked stilts, avocets, killdeer, willets, kingfishers, egrets, and herons are attracted to the water's edge.

The lake has become a hotspot for freshwater game fishing. Largemouth bass, spotted bass, bluegill, rainbow trout, channel catfish, black crappie, red ear sunfish and carp are all present in the lake. As the climate is a warm one, the California Department of Fish and Game make regular plants of rainbow trout throughout the winter months. The lake records for each of the species are noted here:

Largemouth bass, bluegill, rainbow trout, channel catfish, black crappie, redear sunfish tend to be the primary focus of anglers. The trout usually only bite in the cooler months after the DFG plants.

Day and night, hawks and owls are frequently seen hunting for prey. The bike trail offers an easy and convenient way to see some of the birds and other wildlife of Lake Perris. Early morning or dusk are the best times. Ranger-led hikes are conducted during the spring and early summer months.

Most plants and animals at Lake Perris are well adapted to the hot, dry environment. Chamise leaves are tiny and waxy to minimize water loss due to evaporation. Some grasses and wildflowers rush from bloom to seed in just a few short weeks and are able to complete their life cycle within the brief wet season. Kangaroo rats are so well adapted to dry environments that they seldom drink water, and manage to extract the moisture they need directly from their food.

The plants and animals of Perris Valley have changed considerably over the last two hundred years due to human activity, but its natural history can be intriguing.

Recreation

The Big Rock Triathlon at Lake Perris, 2009 Big Rock Triathalon 4-9-09.jpg
The Big Rock Triathlon at Lake Perris, 2009

There are many recreational activities allowed on, in, and around Lake Perris and in the State Recreation Park. Guided hikes are offered on the trail around the lake, and several camping sites are located near the lake side. The lake is open for boating from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm daily during the summer. Other activities include fishing, picnicking, horse-back riding, swimming (in designated areas), and rock climbing. The park also hosts the annual Big Rock Triathlon [3] at sprint and Olympic distances. There is also a museum on the park grounds. [4]

A nine-mile (14 km) paved road loops around the lake which is used to access the different areas of the lake (although the portion that runs along the top of the Perris Dam is unavailable for vehicles) and is also used by hikers, runners, and cyclists. The northwest side of the lake has beaches and swimming areas, picnic grounds with tables and grills, camp grounds including RV camp grounds, a launch ramp, a marina, a small pier, and various peninsulas. The southwest side is the Perris Dam, and allows for rock fishing. The southeast side has picnic grounds, camp grounds, and a rock climbing area. The northeast side is largely left undeveloped in order to preserve the natural flora and fauna, although it is accessible to the public. Furthermore, the paved road strays away from the lake shore thus discouraging people to disturb this section of the lake. Fishing is allowed almost anywhere. Lake Perris has one lake island called Alessandro Island, and it has picnic grounds with tables, grills, and permanent restroom facilities. The island also has a trail that goes halfway around it. The island can only be reached by boat. There are various hiking trails to be found in the park such as those that lead to Terri Peak, the highest point in the park accessible by trail at 2,569 ft. [5] The highest point in the park is Mt. Russell at 2,704 ft., but no trail leads to the mountain or to its summit. [6]

Weather

Lake Perris and the surrounding area has hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Rain is almost limited to the six months between November and April. The area lies at a crossroads of weather influences. Coastal fog and smog comes from the west, while "Santa Anas"—strong, hot, dry winds—come from the deserts to the east and northeast. The average water temperature is 70 °F (21 °C) ; during the summer months, it is bathwater-warm and very pleasant to swim in.

Lake Perris water withdrawal

For several months following July 2005, the water in Lake Perris was drawn down by about 20 percent (about 24 feet) due to safety concerns with the dam. An extensive modern study concluded that the dam could be partially breached if a 7.5 magnitude or higher earthquake were to strike in the area. Heightening the engineers' fears was that the San Jacinto Fault, easily capable of creating a 7.5 tremor, passes just a few miles north of the lake. The Perris Dam Modernization Project is split into three projects: the Perris Dam Remediation Project, the Outlet Tower Improvements Project, and the Emergency Release Facility Project.

The Perris Dam Remediation Project was completed in April 2018. The project included a strengthened dam foundation with 320,000 cubic yards (about 245,000 cubic meters) of cement deep soil mixing and 1.4 million cubic yards added to support the downstream of the dam. After completion, the dam control refilled, finishing July 2019.

The Outlet Tower Improvements Project includes the tower bridge seismic retrofit project and the Outlet Works Modification project. The aim of the project is to provide the safe release of water during normal and emergency operations and is expected to be completed in 2026. Parts of the project completed include:

"Future work planned for the outlet tower and the downstream release and delivery facilities includes the installation of a new automated flow control gate, hydraulic controls equipment, seismic and security monitoring equipment, and the construction of a control building and an energy dissipation structure."

The Emergency Release Facility Project started in 2023 and is planned to be completed by 2026. This project will route water in the event of an earthquake away from a community of over 6,000 residents. The project will include new roadside construction, levees, bridges, and relocation of utilities. [7]

2028 Summer Olympics proposal

The Los Angeles Olympic Bid for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games made an agreement with the Department of Parks and Recreation for the Lake to be host for competitive Canoe-Sprint and rowing competition when Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Summer Olympics. The bid committee preferred Lake Perris to Lake Casitas as Lake Perris is near a larger population base and is in close proximity to UCR for athletes’ accommodations. In February 2019 the International Rowing Federation announced that they had been asked to look at the possibility of using Long Beach Marine Stadium (the 1932 Olympic rowing venue) instead of Lake Perris. In 2022 World Rowing decided to use Long Beach Marine Stadium instead. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lacamas Lake</span> Reservoir in Clark County, Washington

Lacamas Lake is a small lake in Clark County, Washington. It is a popular place to fish and water ski for locals from Vancouver, Camas and Washougal. It connects to Round Lake via a channel that runs under the SR 500 bridge on the southeast side of the lake. In the 1990s many high tech manufacturing plants and expensive housing developments began to appear in the area around the lake. The lake is very warm compared to other lakes in the area and the temperature can drop off quickly with depth. As it is now, the 60-foot-deep (18 m) lake cannot support life below about 18 ft (5.5 m). The Georgia-Pacific Mill in Camas used to draw water from the lake to support its operations; however, Georgia-Pacific donated the two dams on Round Lake to the City of Camas in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area</span> County park located in Irwindale, California, US, in the San Gabriel Valley, inside the Santa Fe Dam

The Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area is a county park located in Irwindale, California, US, in the San Gabriel Valley, inside the Santa Fe Dam. The park and dam are nestled among gravel quarries in the area, many of which are currently inactive. The dam is a flood-control dam on the San Gabriel River. The dam functions as a dry dam most of the time. The San Gabriels produce more gravel than most other mountains. The park is maintained and operated by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. The park, located off the San Gabriel River Freeway, contains a 70-acre lake for year-round fishing and non motorized watercraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Mead National Recreation Area</span> U.S. protected area in Nevada and Arizona

Lake Mead National Recreation Area is a U.S. national recreation area in southeastern Nevada and northwestern Arizona. Operated by the National Park Service, Lake Mead NRA follows the Colorado River corridor from the westernmost boundary of Grand Canyon National Park to just north of the cities of Laughlin, Nevada and Bullhead City, Arizona. It includes all of the eponymous Lake Mead as well as the smaller Lake Mohave – reservoirs on the river created by Hoover Dam and Davis Dam, respectively – and the surrounding desert terrain and wilderness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canyon Lake (Arizona)</span> Waterbody in Maricopa County, Arizona

Canyon Lake is one of four reservoirs that were formed by the damming of the Salt River in the U.S. state of Arizona as part of the Salt River Project. It was formed by the Mormon Flat Dam, which was completed in 1925 after two years of construction. Canyon Lake, with a surface area of 950 acres (380 ha), is the third and smallest of the four lakes created along the river. Two others, Apache Lake and Roosevelt Lake, are upstream. The fourth, Saguaro Lake, is downstream.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Pleasant Regional Park</span> Regional county park in Arizona, US

Lake Pleasant Regional Park is a large outdoors recreation area straddling the Maricopa and Yavapai county border northwest of Phoenix, Arizona. The park is located within the municipal boundaries of Peoria, Arizona, and serves as a major recreation hub for the northwest Phoenix metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stevens Creek Reservoir</span> Reservoir in Santa Clara County, California

Stevens Creek Reservoir is an artificial lake located in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains near Cupertino, California. A 1,063-acre (430 ha) county park surrounds the reservoir and provides limited fishing, picnicking, hiking, and horseback riding activities. Although swimming is not allowed, non-power boating is allowed for certain parts of the year. No powered boats or jet skis are allowed. All vessels must be inspected for invasive Quagga mussels prior to launch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Murray (California)</span> Reservoir in San Diego, California

Lake Murray is a reservoir in San Diego, California, operated by the City of San Diego's Public Utilities Department. When full, the reservoir covers 171.1 acres (69.2 ha), has a maximum water depth of 95 feet (29 m), and a shoreline of 3.2 miles (5.1 km). The asphalt-paved service road lining roughly two-thirds of the lake's perimeter is a popular recreation site for the Navajo community as well as residents of the northernmost neighborhoods in La Mesa. It lies south of Cowles Mountain and a small golf course. It also functions as an important aeronautical reporting point for aircraft inbound to land at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pine Flat Lake</span> Reservoir in near Piedra, California

Pine Flat Lake is an artificial lake or reservoir in the Sierra Nevada foothills of eastern Fresno County, California on the western north-south border to the Sierra- and Sequoia National Forests, about 30 mi (48 km) east of Fresno. The lake is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and is open to boaters, campers & hikers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Natoma</span> Reservoir in Sacramento County, California

Lake Natoma is a small lake in the Western United States, along the lower American River, between Folsom and Nimbus Dams in Sacramento County, California. The lake is located within the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area which maintains the facilities and bike trails surrounding the lake. Lake Natoma is located 15 miles (24 km) east of Sacramento, and has 500 surface acres of water. The total length of lake Natoma is 4 miles (6.4 km).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rough River Lake</span> Reservoir in Kentucky, United States

The Rough River Lake is a Y-shaped reservoir located in Breckinridge, Hardin, and Grayson counties in Kentucky, United States, about 70 miles southwest of Louisville. This lake was created by the building of a dam, begun in 1955 and completed in 1961, 89.3 miles (143.7 km) above the connection between the Rough River and the Green River. The land and water, along with the wildlife, fisheries, and recreational activities, are all managed under the cooperation of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. A primary attraction is Rough River Dam State Resort Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Pablo Reservoir</span> Reservoir in California, United States

The San Pablo Reservoir is an open cut terminal water storage reservoir owned and operated by the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD). It is located in the valley of San Pablo Creek, north of Orinda, California, United States, and south of El Sobrante and Richmond, east of the Berkeley Hills between San Pablo Ridge and Sobrante Ridge.

Lake Clementine is a reservoir on the North Fork American River Canyon above the picturesque, California Gold Rush-era town of Auburn in Northern California. It was created in 1939 when the North Fork Dam, a 155-foot tall constant angle arch dam, was completed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, for the purpose of containing gold-mining debris which were washing downriver. This resulting reservoir is a long and narrow lake approximately 3.5 miles long and 300 feet wide in some areas. The lake and surrounding area is owned by the United States Bureau of Reclamation and managed by California Department of Parks and Recreation.


Located in the heart of Pinetop-Lakeside, Woodland Lake and the park surrounding it have been called the town's "Crown Jewel." In addition to trout fishing, the lake provides a host of other outdoor recreation opportunities. Woodland Lake lies on city and Apache-Sitgraves National Forest property, just west of White Mountain Blvd. in Pinetop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lafayette Reservoir</span>

The Lafayette Reservoir is an open-cut human-made terminal water storage reservoir owned and operated by the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD). Completed in 1933, it was intended solely as a standby water supply for EBMUD customers. EBMUD opened the reservoir for public recreation in 1966. It is located off of California State Route 24 and a mile from the Lafayette BART station, in Contra Costa County, California, United States. This all-year, day-use area is ideal for hiking, jogging, fishing, boating and picnicking. The reservoir is on the Lafayette-Orinda border. The reservoir is on a 925-acre (3.74 km2) site and holds 1.4 billion US gallons (5,300,000 m3)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Pueblo State Park</span> State park in Colorado, United States

Lake Pueblo State Park is a state park located in Pueblo County, Colorado. It includes 60 miles (97 km) of shoreline and 10,000 acres (40 km2) of land. Activities it offers include two full-service marinas, recreational fishing, hiking, camping and swimming at a special swim beach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rancho Seco Recreational Park</span> Reservoir in Sacramento County, California

Rancho Seco Recreational Park is a recreational area located in the California Central Valley near the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station in Herald, California. It is open to the public for camping, fishing, hiking and water activities. Boats are restricted to outboard electric motors which improves the lake's use as a swimming hole. The lake is fed by the Folsom South Canal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carter Lake Dam</span> Dam in Colorado, U.S.

Carter Lake Dam is a dam in Larimer County, Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huntington North Dam</span> Reservoir in the state of Utah, United States

Huntington North Dam is a dam in Emery County, Utah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Cuyamaca</span> Reservoir in San Diego County, California

Lake Cuyamaca, also called Cuyamaca Reservoir, is a 110 acres (45 ha) reservoir and a recreation area in the eastern Cuyamaca Mountains, located in eastern San Diego County, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fall Creek (Middle Fork Willamette River tributary)</span> River in Oregon, United States

Fall Creek is a 34-mile (55 km) tributary of the Middle Fork Willamette River in Lane County in the U.S. state of Oregon. Beginning in the Cascade Range, the creek flows generally west through the Willamette National Forest to enter the Middle Fork upstream of Jasper, southeast of Springfield and Eugene.

References

  1. 1 2 Zimmerman, Janet (February 8, 2015). "Sunken Surprises". The Orange County Register . p. News 3.
  2. OEHHA, Admin (July 11, 2019). "Lake Perris". oehha.ca.gov. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  3. "Big Rock Triathlon | Perris, California 92571 | Saturday, April 16, 2011 @ 7:30 AM". Archived from the original on August 23, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  4. "Lake Perris SRA".
  5. "Lake Perris State Recreation Area" . Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  6. "Terri Peak". SummitPost.org. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  7. "Perris Dam Modernization Project". water.ca.gov. April 25, 2018. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  8. "World Rowing confirms LA 2028 racing on shortest course in Olympic history". September 2022.