Lake Nacimiento facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Nacimiento |
|
|---|---|
Lake Nacimiento in 2015
|
|
 Lake Nacimiento
Location in California
Lake Nacimiento
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | San Luis Obispo County, California |
| Coordinates | 35°44′36″N 120°57′39″W / 35.74345°N 120.96085°W |
| Lake type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Nacimiento River |
| Primary outflows | Nacimiento River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 18 mi (29 km) |
| Surface area | 5,400 acres (2,200 ha) |
| Water volume | 377,000 acre⋅ft (465,000,000 m3) |
Lake Nacimiento is a large lake in northern San Luis Obispo County, California. It is about 18-mile (29 km) long. The lake was created by building a dam on the Nacimiento River.
Lake Nacimiento has many "arms" or branches. These include Snake Creek, Dip Creek, Las Tablas Creek, and Franklin Creek. Because of how these arms spread out, the lake looks a bit like a dragon. That's why some people call it Dragon Lake.
The lake can fill up quickly in winter. This happens when heavy rains upstream in the Santa Lucia Range make the river flow very fast. To manage this, the lake's water level is usually kept lower until May 1st each year.
Contents
What Lives in Lake Nacimiento?
Lake Nacimiento is home to various fish. However, the lake has higher levels of mercury. This mercury comes from old mines nearby. Because of this, it is not safe to eat some fish from the lake often.
Fish Species and Safe Eating
Some fish like bass, crappies, carps, and catfish are not safe to eat from the lake. But you can safely eat bluegill and sucker fish once a week. The lake is special because it has white bass. These fish do very well in the lake. They also lay their eggs in the river and creeks that flow into the lake.
In 1981, a world record for a white bass caught by fly fishing was set at Lake Nacimiento. The fish was caught by Cory Wells. He was a member of the famous music group, Three Dog Night. This record lasted for over 27 years!
The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) gives advice on eating fish from Lake Nacimiento. This advice is based on how much mercury is found in the fish. You can find their full advice on their website.
How Lake Nacimiento Was Made
Lake Nacimiento was built for a few important reasons. It helps provide water for farms and controls floods. It also offers a fun place for people to visit and play.
Building the Dam
The lake was formed by the Nacimiento Dam. This dam is 210 foot (64 m) tall. It is an "earthfill" dam, meaning it's made mostly of earth and rock. The Monterey County Water Authority built the dam. Construction finished in 1956.
The water authority uses the lake to refill its groundwater supply. Groundwater is water stored underground. Even though the lake is in San Luis Obispo County, the Monterey County Parks Department helps manage it. They patrol the lake's waters and the resort area. The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office also has a boat on the lake.
Water for Nearby Towns
Monterey County paid for the lake's development. However, San Luis Obispo County kept the rights to use a certain amount of water each year. They started asking for this water in the mid-2000s.
In October 2007, work began on a pipeline. This pipeline was built to bring water from the lake to several towns. These towns include Paso Robles, Templeton, Atascadero, and San Luis Obispo. The pipeline started working in January 2011.
In 2014, the lake's dam had to be shut down. One of its turbines was damaged. A turbine is like a big fan that can make power from flowing water. Because of this, a nearby lake, Lake San Antonio, had to release much of its water. This helped supply groundwater to the Salinas Valley.
Fun Activities at the Lake
Lake Nacimiento is a popular spot for water sports. There is plenty of space for many activities. You can go waterskiing, wakeboarding, jetskiing, and wakesurfing. It's a great place for all kinds of water fun!
Homes Around the Lake
There are two main neighborhoods right on the lake's shore: Heritage Ranch and Oak Shores. There are also several smaller private neighborhoods. These homes were affected by the Chimney Fire in August 2016. Most of the land around the lake is private property. You cannot camp overnight on the lake outside of the main resort area. Also, you are not allowed to go onto land above the high water mark, as this is considered trespassing.
