Lake Van Arsdale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Van Arsdale |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
 Lake Van Arsdale
Location in California
Lake Van Arsdale
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Mendocino County, California |
| Coordinates | 39°23′9″N 123°7′2″W / 39.38583°N 123.11722°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Eel River, Mill Creek, Rocky Creek, Trout Creek |
| Primary outflows | Eel River, Powerhouse Canal |
| Catchment area | 345 sq mi (890 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. width | 400 ft (120 m) |
| Surface area | 163 acres (66 ha) |
| Water volume | 700 acre-feet (860,000 m3) |
| Surface elevation | 1,493 feet (455 m) |
Lake Van Arsdale, also known as Van Arsdale Reservoir, is a man-made lake in California. It's part of a bigger system called the Potter Valley Project. This lake is located in Mendocino County, about 4 miles (6.4 km) north of the town of Potter Valley.
Lake Van Arsdale is formed by a dam called the Cape Horn Dam. This dam holds back the water from the Eel River. Some of this water is sent through a long tunnel to a power plant in Potter Valley. Here, the water helps create electricity! After making power, the water flows into the East Branch Russian River and then to Lake Mendocino. This water is used by people as far south as Marin County. The rest of the Eel River water that isn't diverted continues its journey to the Pacific Ocean near Fortuna.
Building Lake Van Arsdale
The story of Lake Van Arsdale began a long time ago. In 1905, a company called Snow Mountain Water and Power Company started building the Potter Valley Project. The Cape Horn Dam was finished in 1907. The entire project started working in 1908. Later, in 1930, another company, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, took over the project. They have owned and managed the dam ever since.
About Cape Horn Dam
The Cape Horn Dam is a special type of dam called a gravity dam. This means it uses its own heavy weight to hold back the water. The dam is 96 feet (29 m) tall and 515 feet (157 m) long. It is also 10 feet (3.0 m) thick. Imagine how much material was needed to build it – about 40,000 cubic yards (31,000 m3)! The very top of the dam is 1,519 feet (463 m) above sea level.
