French Lake Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids French Lake Reservoir |
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 French Lake Reservoir
Location in California
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| Location | Nevada County, California, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°25′15″N 120°32′32″W / 39.420700°N 120.542248°W |
| Built | 1859, reconstructed 1948 |
| Max. length | 300 feet (91 m) |
| Surface area | 1.36 km2 (0.53 sq mi) |
| Water volume | Max 17,000,000 m3 (14,000 acre⋅ft) |
French Lake Reservoir (National ID # CA00247) is a reservoir in Nevada County, California.
The earthen, rock-fill French Lake Dam was first constructed in 1859, and is a candidate for the first use of rock-fill in an engineered dam. Reconstructed in 1948, it impounds Canyon Creek for flood control, irrigation water storage, municipal drinking water, and hydropower. The dam is 100 feet (30 m) high, with a length of 300 feet (91 m) at its crest. It is one of ten facilities operated by Nevada Irrigation District.
The reservoir has a surface area of 337 acres (136 ha) and a maximum capacity of 13,800 acre-feet (17,000,000 m3). The site is surrounded by Tahoe National Forest. The adjacent namesake townsite of French Lake, California is a ghost town of the California Gold Rush era.
