Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Quarry Lakes |
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
A view of Mission Peak from Lago Los Osos.
|
|
| Type | Regional park |
| Location | Fremont, California |
| Area | 471 acres |
| Created | 1997-2000 |
| Operated by | East Bay Regional Parks |
| Website | http://www.ebparks.org/parks/quarry_lakes |
Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area is a cool park in Fremont, California. It's part of the East Bay Regional Parks system. But it wasn't always a park! Long ago, it was a place where people dug up gravel and sand.
Later, water was used to refill the underground water supply. This water flooded the old gravel pits. The companies working there started pumping this water out into Alameda Creek and then into San Francisco Bay. However, in 1976, pumping all that water was stopped because it was seen as a waste. The Alameda County Water District then took over the land.
The park is located between the Centerville and Niles areas of Fremont. Train tracks for BART are to the northeast. Alameda Creek runs along the south and west sides of the park.
Contents
How Quarry Lakes Became a Park
For a long time, starting in 1912, a company called Niles Sand and Gravel operated here. They dug up gravel and sand from the Alameda Creek riverbed. This material was used to make concrete.
By 1954, they expanded their digging. Some of the pits were dug very deep, even 120 feet below the surface! This was much deeper than the natural water level underground. To keep digging, the company had to pump out huge amounts of water. They pumped about five million gallons a day into Alameda Creek. That's enough water for 30,000 people!
In 1972, the company sued the Alameda County Water District. They said the Water District's program to refill underground water was hurting their quarry business. But the court disagreed. They found that refilling the underground water was important. It helped stop saltwater from the San Francisco Bay from getting into the fresh water supply. The court also said the pits would have flooded anyway. So, the company's pumping of water was declared an illegal waste.
Between 1975 and 1992, the EBRPD and the ACWD bought the land. They started turning the area into a park in 1997. The ACWD continued to work on restoring the natural areas even after 2017.
Lakes and Water Fun
.jpg)
The lakes at Quarry Lakes are important for refilling the underground water supply. Because of this, only two lakes are open for people to touch the water: Rainbow Lake and Horseshoe Lake.
These two lakes are regularly stocked with fish. You can find rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and channel catfish here. If you want to go Fishing, you'll need a permit.
Horseshoe Lake also has a swimming area and a pier for boating. But you can't use boats with gasoline motors. This rule helps keep the water clean and prevents pollution.
Other lakes, like Lago Los Osos and Willow Slough, are great for watching nature. But you can't go into the water. There are also two other lakes that are completely closed to the public. These are used by the Water District.
Lakes You Can Find Here
- Horseshoe Lake
- Rainbow Lake
- Lago Los Osos
- Willow Slough
Amazing Plants and Animals
Quarry Lakes is home to more than fifty types of wildflowers. There's also a special fruit grove on a part of Horseshoe Lake. It has both native plants and plants from other places. At the south end of the park, you can see a large group of bald cypress trees. In 2010, a special garden was started along Horseshoe Lake. It shows off plants that are native to the area and don't need much water.
The park is also a very important place for birds. It's one of the few natural areas along Alameda Creek where birds can rest during their long journeys. Thanks to efforts to restore the park, many different water birds have come here. These include wood ducks, great blue herons, and snowy egrets. Special nesting boxes and berry plants have also attracted smaller birds. You might see tree swallows, northern flickers, and salt marsh yellowthroats.
Images for kids
-
Horseshoe Lake in the Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area, with Niles' hills in the background.
