Baldwin Lake (Los Angeles County, California) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Baldwin Lake
Looking north across Baldwin Lake from near the Queen Anne Cottage at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. California native fan palm trees (Washingtonia filifera) and Mexican fan palm trees (Washingtonia robusta) line the north shore.
Baldwin Lake Location in California Show map of California Baldwin Lake Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Arcadia, California
Coordinates	34°08′31″N 118°03′15″W / 34.14194°N 118.05417°W / 34.14194; -118.05417
Type	Sag pond
Primary inflows	Natural springs Stormwater runoff
Primary outflows	Aquifer recharge
Basin countries	United States
Average depth	2 feet (0.61 m)
Max. depth	30 inches (760 mm) formerly 18 feet (5.5 m)

Baldwin Lake is a special kind of pond located in the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. This beautiful garden is found in the San Gabriel Valley of Southern California, near the San Gabriel Mountains. The pond, the arboretum, and the garden are all within the city of Arcadia.

A "sag pond" is a natural lake or pond that forms in a dip along a fault line (a crack in the Earth's crust). Baldwin Lake gets its water from stormwater (rainwater runoff) and natural springs that bubble up from underground. The water then flows out of the pond and helps refill the aquifer (an underground layer of water) at the Raymond Fault. From there, it eventually reaches the Rio Hondo river. Baldwin Lake is part of the larger Los Angeles River watershed, which means all the water in this area eventually flows into the Los Angeles River.

The pond covers about 4 acres (about 1.6 hectares). Over time, dirt and pollution from surface runoff have filled the pond. This has made it much shallower. It used to be about 12 feet (3.7 meters) deep, but now it's only about 30 inches (76 centimeters) deep on average.

History of Baldwin Lake

For many hundreds of years, long before Spanish explorers arrived in the late 1700s, the Tongva people lived near this pond. Their settlement was called Alyeupkigna. The Spanish later made the Tongva move to a new area near the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel.

In 1800, the Spanish set up an agricultural outpost called Alyeupkigna Ranchería at the site of the old Tongva settlement. This outpost helped grow food for the mission.

Early Owners and Development

In 1840, a man named Hugo Reid built an adobe house (a type of mud-brick home) on the shore of the pond. Reid received a large land grant from Mexico in 1845. This grant, called Rancho Santa Anita, included Baldwin Lake and many other natural ponds and springs. The ranch covered about 13,319 acres (5,390 hectares).

Later, in 1875, a famous businessman named Elias Jackson “Lucky” Baldwin bought Rancho Santa Anita. He used Baldwin Lake as a reservoir to store water for his ranch's irrigation (watering crops). In the late 1880s, Baldwin had the lake dug out and made deeper, possibly by 12 to 15 feet (3.7 to 4.6 meters). He also built a strong wall of granite boulders around the shoreline to keep the water in.

Historic Buildings at the Lake

Lucky Baldwin built several important buildings near the pond. In 1879, he built the fancy Coach Barn. Then, in 1885-1886, he built a beautiful house called 'Baldwin's Belvedere' or the Santa Anita Ranch Guest Cottage. This house is built in the Queen Anne style and sits on a small piece of land surrounded by the lake's water.

Both the Queen Anne Cottage and Coach Barn are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and are California Historical Landmarks. The original Reid-Baldwin Adobe, which Lucky Baldwin made bigger, is also a California Historical Landmark.

In 1947, the state and county bought the land. Their goal was to create an arboretum (a place where many different kinds of trees and plants are grown) around the pond and these historic Baldwin buildings.

Wildlife at Baldwin Lake

Baldwin Lake is a lively home for many different animals. You can often see many kinds of ducks and Canada geese swimming on the water. Turtles also live in the pond and can sometimes be seen sunning themselves on the banks. Occasionally, you might even spot a great white heron looking for food.

A softshell turtle laying eggs along the East bank of Baldwin Lake.

Canada geese and ducks enjoying Baldwin Lake in late summer.

Pollution and Restoration Efforts

A project called "Save Baldwin Lake" is currently working to fix problems at the pond. These problems include too much dirt and mud that has built up, shorelines that are falling apart, and the reduced water depth. They are also looking at how the lake helps refill the Raymond aquifer and how to protect the plants and animals that live in the lake and nearby Tule Pond.

A study found several things that are harming Baldwin Lake. Since the early 1950s, the lake has collected water from about 155 acres (63 hectares) of urban land to its north. This runoff water carries chemicals and other harmful substances into the pond. This, along with the ongoing buildup of silt (fine dirt), has damaged the lake's natural environment. The pond was originally about 15 to 18 feet (4.6 to 5.5 meters) deep, but now its average depth is only about 24 inches (61 centimeters).

The Arboretum has started raising money to pay for a study by engineers. This study will help them figure out the best ways to restore and protect both Baldwin Lake and Tule Pond for the future.

See also

In Spanish: Lago Baldwin (Condado de Los Ángeles, California) para niños