Bass Lake (Marin County, California) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bass Lake |
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 Bass Lake
Location in California
Bass Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Marin County, California |
| Coordinates | 37°57′01″N 122°46′31″W / 37.95028°N 122.77528°W |
| Type | slightly saline slightly alkaline slightly eutrophic warm monomictic |
| Primary inflows | streams on north and east shores |
| Primary outflows | via creek to Pacific Ocean |
| Catchment area | 66 hectares (163 acres) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 3 hectares (7.4 acres) |
| Average depth | 17.5 metres (57.4 ft) |
| Water volume | 400 thousand cubic metres (320 acre⋅ft) |
| Surface elevation | 374 feet (114 m) |
Bass Lake is a small, pretty lake located in the southern part of the Point Reyes National Seashore in California. It's found northwest of a town called Bolinas. The lake sits about 374 feet (114 m) above sea level. Its water flows south through a 1-mile (1.6 km) creek that eventually reaches the Pacific Ocean.
Bass Lake is the biggest of five special lakes known as the Coast Trail Lakes. The other lakes in this group are Pelican Lake, Crystal Lake, Ocean Lake, and Wildcat Lake.
How Bass Lake Was Formed
Just like other lakes nearby in the Point Reyes area, Bass Lake was created in a natural dip in the land. This dip formed because of huge landslides that happened over the last 10,000 years. Imagine giant pieces of earth sliding down, leaving a hollow space behind!
The dips where Crystal, Pelican, and Bass lakes are found were likely caused by a massive event called the Double Point Slide. This slide covered a very large area, about 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2). The rocks involved in these slides include types like shale, chert, and sandstone. These natural earth movements are still happening today. For example, some slides were caused by the big 1906 San Francisco earthquake, and others occurred as recently as 1956.
Animals and Plants Around the Lake
Bass Lake is part of a special area within the Point Reyes National Seashore. This region has lots of coastal scrub and open grasslands. You can find plants like coyote brush, which often grows with native grasses such as California oatgrass and purple needlegrass. Other common plants here include California sagebrush, black sage, sticky monkeyflower, and poison oak.
Around Bass Lake and the other nearby lakes, you'll see thick groups of willow trees. Right at the edges of the lake, there are tall plants like common tule, California bulrush, and cat-tail. The lake has also been stocked with different kinds of game fish that like warm water.
Scientists who studied the lake in 1976 found many tiny living things called phytoplankton floating in the water. These are like microscopic plants that form the base of the food chain.
On the hills above these coastal lakes, you'll find tall Douglas fir trees.
Bass Lake is also close to a very important area called the Double Point Area of Special Biological Significance. This area was set up in 1974 to protect a large group of harbor seals. These seals have their babies on the beach between April and June each year, and it's important to keep their home safe.
A Bit of History
Before the 1960s, people didn't fully understand how much the land in this area moved due to landslides. Because of this, the U.S. Army built an underground facility near Pelican Lake in 1944. This building was used to control artillery.
Later, the National Park Service took over the area and filled in these concrete structures. However, future landslides could uncover them again. The living quarters, or barracks, for the soldiers who worked at this facility were located close to Bass Lake.
