Lake Perris | |
---|---|
Location | Lake Perris State Recreation Area Riverside County, California |
Coordinates | 33°51′25″N117°10′30″W / 33.857°N 117.175°W Coordinates: 33°51′25″N117°10′30″W / 33.857°N 117.175°W |
Type | Reservoir |
Basin countries | United States |
Max. depth | 100 ft (30 m) |
Surface elevation | 1,595 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.
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]
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.
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]
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, black sage, 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.
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 6:30 pm from Thursday to Monday. 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 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]
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.
![]() | This section needs to be updated.(June 2021) |
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 the fact that the San Jacinto Fault, easily capable of creating a 7.5 tremor, passes just a few miles north of the lake. It may take more than two years for the state to plan a course of action to bolster the dam.
All recreational activities are still allowed, with some restrictions. Most noticeably, the 35 mph (56 km/h) boating zone has been reduced to the area between the dam and Alessandro Island. The area from the island east is now a 5 mph (wakeless speed) area. Swimming is only allowed at Perris Beach (Lots 1, 2, 3, and 4). Reservations for boats are highly recommended in the summer; weekends sell out fast. Since the drawdown there are fewer first-come, first-served spots available for watercraft. In the summer of 2006 (Memorial Day to Labor Day) most reservations sold out a week or two in advance.
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. [7]
The largemouth bass is a carnivorous freshwater gamefish in the Centrarchidae (sunfish) family, a species of black bass native to the eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada and northern Mexico, but widely introduced elsewhere. It is known by a variety of regional names, such as the widemouth bass, bigmouth bass, black bass, bucketmouth, largies, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, bucketmouth bass, Green trout, gilsdorf bass, Oswego bass, LMB, and southern largemouth and northern largemouth. The largemouth bass is the state fish of Georgia and Mississippi, and the state freshwater fish of Florida and Alabama.
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.
The Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area is a county park located in Irwindale, California, USA, 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.
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.
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.
Lake Berryessa is the largest lake in Napa County, California. This reservoir in the Vaca Mountains was formed following the construction of the Monticello Dam on Putah Creek in the 1950s. Since the early 1960s, this reservoir has provided water and hydroelectricity to the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area.
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.
Lake Murray is a reservoir in San Diego, California, operated by the City of San Diego's Public Utilities Department. It is located within Mission Trails Regional Park. 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. It lies south of Cowles Mountain and is an important reporting point for aircraft inbound to land at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.
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.
Patagonia Lake State Park is a state park of Arizona, US, containing Patagonia Lake. The 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km), 250-acre (100 ha) lake located near Patagonia, Arizona, is a popular southern Arizona site for fishing, camping, boat rental, picnicking, hiking, and birding. Located inside the park is the recently established Sonoita Creek State Natural Area, Arizona's first major state natural area. Created by the damming of Sonoita Creek, the lake is habitat for reproducing largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, flathead catfish, threadfin shad, redear sunfish, channel catfish, and American bullfrogs. Rainbow trout are stocked every three weeks from October to March. Sonoita Creek contains black bullhead, red shiner, mosquitofish, crayfish, American bullfrogs, largemouth bass, Gila topminnows, speckled dace, longfin dace, Sonora suckers, and desert suckers. Special events include an annual mariachi festival in March and bird tours and interpretive programs on request.
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 is responsible for maintaining the facilities and bike trails surrounding the lake. Lake Natoma is located 15 miles east of Sacramento, and has 500 surface acres of water. The total length of lake Natoma is 4 miles.
The Rough River Lake is a Y-shaped reservoir located in Breckinridge, Hardin, and Grayson counties in Kentucky, 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 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.
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 Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests property, just west of White Mountain Blvd. in Pinetop.
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.
Huntington North Dam is a dam in Emery County, Utah.
Cedar Lake is in Le Flore County, Oklahoma inside the Ouachita National Forest. Considered a part of Indian Nations National Scenic and Wildlife Area, it is about 12 miles (19 km) south of Heavener, Oklahoma, and 40 miles (64 km) west of Mena, Arkansas.
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.
Lake Poway is a dam and reservoir in Poway, California, United States. The dam is owned by the City of Poway and was constructed between 1970 and 1972 with the purpose of storing and supplying water, and providing recreational facilities to the community. A $3.2-million bond issue for construction of the dam was rejected by voters in 1964 and 1966, but passed with 87 percent in favor in 1969. Year-round fishing for trout, bass, catfish, sunfish and bluegill is available at the lake.