Huntington Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Huntington Lake |
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 Huntington Lake
Location in California
Huntington Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Fresno County, California |
| Coordinates | 37°14′10″N 119°10′44″W / 37.23611°N 119.17889°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Big Creek |
| Primary outflows | Big Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 1,441 acres (583 ha) |
| Surface elevation | 2,120 m (6,955 ft) |
Huntington Lake is a large reservoir (a man-made lake) in Fresno County, California. It's located high up in the Sierra Nevada mountains, about 7,000 feet above sea level! This lake gets its water from many streams and from a big power project called the Big Creek Hydroelectric Project.
Some water flows out of the lake into Big Creek, and some is sent to another nearby lake called Shaver Lake. Huntington Lake is a super popular spot for fun activities like camping, horseback riding, skiing, sailing, and fishing. Every year, the lake's water level changes a lot. In winter, it can get pretty low because water is used to make electricity.
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History of Huntington Lake
Building the Lake
Huntington Lake was built a long time ago, in 1912. It was part of a huge plan called the Big Creek Hydroelectric Project. This project was designed to create electricity for the growing state of California. The lake was named after Henry E. Huntington, who helped pay for the early work on this big power project. The project includes a system of lakes, tunnels, and powerhouses.
Four dams were built to create Huntington Lake. The first three dams were finished in 1913. A fourth dam was added in 1919 to make the lake even bigger. The other three dams were also made taller and stronger with concrete. California State Route 168 runs along the east side of the lake. This is where you'll find China Peak, a popular ski resort.
The Mystery of the B-24 Bombers
On December 6, 1943, a B-24 bomber plane with six men crashed into Huntington Lake. The crew had taken off from Hammer Field in Fresno, California. They were looking for another B-24 that had disappeared the day before during a training flight. Two men from the crashing plane managed to parachute out and survived. People think the pilot might have mistaken the lake for a flat, snowy field and tried to land during a snowstorm.
The wreckage of the plane and the remains of its crew were found in August 1955. This happened when the lake was drained for dam repairs. The first B-24 plane they were looking for was found later, in July 1960, in a smaller lake nearby called Hester Lake. Neither plane has been brought out of the lakes.
How Drought Affected the Lake
From 2012 to 2015, California had a very bad drought. This meant there wasn't much rain or snow. Because of this, the water levels in Huntington Lake started to drop a lot. By July 2014, the lake was only about one-third full! This was a big problem. For the first time in 60 years, a major sailing event called the High Sierra Regatta had to be canceled.
Fun Activities at Huntington Lake
The lake looks very different in summer and winter. In winter, there's a lot of snow and it's very cold. But in summer, it's a super popular place for people to visit and have fun!
Sailing on the Lake
Huntington Lake is about 5 miles long and often has steady winds. This makes it a perfect place for sailing! Many sailing competitions, called regattas, have been held here. This includes the North American Sailing Championships. The High Sierra Regatta, an annual sailing event, is also held here by the Fresno Yacht Club.
Fishing at Huntington Lake
If you like to fish, you can catch different kinds of fish in the lake and the streams around it. You might find brown trout, rainbow trout, and kokanee salmon. There are rules about how many fish you can keep. You can catch and keep five fish per day, and you are allowed to have 10 fish in total.
Camping Adventures
There are nine different campgrounds around the Huntington Lake area. These include Badger Flat, Billy Creek Lower, Billy Creek Upper, Catavee, College, Deer Creek, Kinnikinnick, Rancheria, and West Kaiser Campground. West Kaiser is a "first come, first served" site, meaning you can just show up. For the other eight campgrounds, you need to make a reservation ahead of time.
Horseback Riding Trails
D&F Pack Station is a company that offers horseback riding trips into the beautiful Sierra Wilderness. They operate right by the lake. You can choose from quick day trips or longer trips that last several days, where you ride horses deep into the wilderness.
Snow Skiing Fun
China Peak, a popular ski resort, is located above the eastern shore of the lake. In winter, the snow can get very deep, often over 50 inches! The resort has a vertical drop of 1,679 feet, with its highest point at over 8,700 feet. It has seven chairlifts and more than 40 different ski runs for all skill levels.
Boy Scout Camps
Huntington Lake is a great spot for Boy Scouts because it's easy to get to but still feels wild. Many Boy Scout camps are located here. This includes the famous Camp Kern, run by the Southern Sierra Council. Camp Oljato, run by the Pacific Skyline Council, is also here, along with other Scouting facilities. There was also a former Boy Scout camp called Camp Mirimichi on the southeastern shore of the lake.
Homes at the Lake
You can find cabins, condominiums, and vacation rentals around Huntington Lake. There are 420 privately owned cabins. Each cabin owner pays a yearly fee to the United States Forest Service. This fee is for a "special use permit" to use their cabin and the land around it, because all the cabins are built on USFS land. Many cabins are hard to reach in winter unless you use a snowmobile, but some have plowed roads leading to them.
Images for kids
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Map of Huntington Lake
