Spreckels Lake facts for kids
Spreckels Lake is a special lake in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. It was built just for model boats! Completed in 1904, this artificial lake is perfect for racing model sailboats and powerboats. It helps people learn how to build and sail these cool miniature boats. Many people think Spreckels Lake is one of the most beautiful places for model boating in the world. It's always open to anyone who wants to sail their model boats there, with only a few rules. The lake is also home to the San Francisco Model Yacht Club (SFMYC). This club asked for the lake to be built, and their history is closely tied to the lake's story.
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Spreckels Lake: A Model Boating Paradise
What is Spreckels Lake?
Spreckels Lake is a man-made lake lined with clay. It holds about 7.8 million gallons of water that you can't drink. This water comes from wells. The lake is named after Adolph B. Spreckels, who was in charge of the San Francisco Parks Commission. He wanted to call it "Model Yacht Lake," but the other commissioners named it after him because he started the project.
The lake was designed especially for model boating. It's about 950 feet long and 420 feet wide at its widest point. Water started filling the lake in January 1904, pumped from underground by the Dutch Windmill. The lake was ready by March 1904, and the model yachting facilities officially opened on March 20.
Spreckels Lake is the only lake in San Francisco where you can sail most types of model boats without needing special permits. Anyone can enjoy sailing their boats here with only a few rules.
Since it was built, Spreckels Lake has been the home of the San Francisco Model Yacht Club (SFMYC). They asked for a special place for model boating in 1902, which led to Spreckels Lake being created. The club has been sailing different kinds of model boats on the lake ever since it opened.
How the Lake Was Built
The lake was first planned in 1903. It was built with a natural, sloping shoreline and a redwood wall to hold the soil. Later, in the 1930s, this redwood wall was replaced with a concrete system. This new wall made the lake's edges smoother and raised the water level. This was better for the 'sail-driven' yachts that the SFMYC used. The lake is now between three and six feet deep. The bottom has a thick layer of silt, which makes the water murky. If a model boat sinks, it might get stuck in this mud!
The walkway around the lake was also updated. The original dirt path was replaced with an asphalt path. However, parts of this walkway have sunk over the years. In 2013, a large section of the wall had to be rebuilt.
Fire Safety Purpose
Besides being a fun place for model boats, Spreckels Lake also helps with fire safety. If San Francisco's main fire-fighting water systems ever fail, the lake water can be used. There are three special hydrants on Fulton Street that can tap into the lake's water.
Lake Plumbing
The water in Spreckels Lake is murky and full of algae. It's mostly groundwater from the park's deep wells. Some surface water also drains into it from Stow Lake. This helps keep the water level stable. When the lake needs to be drained, water flows out through special drains in an area called "Turtle Cove." If more draining is needed, the park uses gasoline-powered pumps.
The park tries to leave enough water in the deeper parts of the lake. This helps the fish and turtles survive when the lake is partially drained.
The Clubhouses
The Spreckels Lake Model Yacht Facility also includes the SFMYC's clubhouse. This building is used for meetings, storage, and workshops. It was built between 1937 and 1939 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The club helped raise money for it. The WPA then gave the building to the Model Yacht Club forever.
The clubhouse has a red-tiled roof and concrete walls. Its design matches other buildings in the area. This building replaced an older clubhouse that was moved from Union Square after the 1906 earthquake. The clubhouse is usually open to the public if you ask, or if you are with a club member. There are also public restrooms on the outside of the building.
Model Boaters at Spreckels Lake
Model yachting became popular in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1870s. Early model boaters used Stow Lake when it opened in 1893. But by 1902, the San Francisco Model Yacht Club (formed in 1892) found Stow Lake too crowded. They asked the Parks Commission for a special "model yachting lake" in Golden Gate Park. They pointed out how popular model boat racing was in parks in Europe and on the East Coast.
The San Francisco Model Yacht Club moved to Spreckels Lake even before it officially opened. They set up a race course and held their first race on February 28, 1904. The lake officially opened 28 days later, on March 20, 1904.
Today, model boating fans from all over the world come to Spreckels Lake. It's a famous spot in the model boating community. The main group using the lake is still the SFMYC. But there are other groups too, like the "Spreckels Irregulars." These are informal power boaters who enjoy the lake. The Northern California Wheeler yacht fleet also holds races here.
The lake has also hosted many regional and national championships. These events are organized by groups like the American Model Yachting Association (AMYA).
The San Francisco Model Yacht Club (SFMYC)
The San Francisco Model Yacht Club considers Spreckels Lake its home. The history of the lake and the club are deeply connected. One wouldn't exist without the other.
The SFMYC holds many events on the lake. These include free-sail and remote-control (RC) sailboat events. They also have a limited number of powerboat events. Some of their famous events include the "Bart" and "Dickie" Cup Regattas for sailors. For power boats, they have the Golden Gate Scale Concours and Wooden Boats on Parade.
The Spreckels Irregulars
The "Spreckels Irregulars" are a friendly group of model boating fans. They often meet on the southern side of the lake. They mostly operate model power boats, both electric and liquid-fueled. They also have a few sailboats. This group is not officially part of the SFMYC.
The "Irregulars" don't hold formal events or races. They simply enjoy meeting on weekends and sometimes during the week. They run their models and enjoy spending time with other enthusiasts. Many of them have been model boaters for decades.
Rules for Model Boats
Spreckels Lake is usually open to everyone year-round. You can walk, run, relax, watch, or sail boats as you wish. Sometimes, the San Francisco Model Yacht Club might close off certain areas for special events. But there's usually plenty of room for other modelers to use the lake.
During big events like the San Francisco Marathon or music festivals, vehicle access to the lake might be closed. The lake itself might even be fenced off.
- Noisy boats: Powered boats are not allowed on the northern side of the lake. This helps keep noise down for the nearby neighborhood.
- Speed limits: The Recreation and Parks Department has a special area where fast power boats are not allowed. This area is marked by buoys. It's for slower scale and steam boats that go under 5 MPH. All boats must follow a 15 MPH speed limit.
Here are the current rules for model boats at Spreckels Lake, updated in May 2015:
- All boats must follow the 15 MPH speed limit.
- Model aviation (flying drones or planes) is not allowed at the lake.
- Internal Combustion (IC) and Nitro-powered boats can only be used on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 10 AM to 1 PM. Sailboats have full access at all other times.
- IC and Nitro boats must not go faster than 15 MPH. They also can't be louder than 60 decibels when measured 50 feet from shore.
- Everyone must follow all local and state safety laws.
- Powered boats must stay away from all wildlife on the lake.
- No more than two IC or Nitro-powered boats can be on the lake at one time.
- IC/Nitro boats must run in a clockwise direction. They must stay out of the far east and far west ends of the lake.
- Radio frequency flags must be shown on antennas when in use.
Lake Wildlife
Even though Spreckels Lake is man-made, it's home to many animals! You can see different kinds of birds, some migratory waterfowl, and various fish and turtles. The trees around the lake are good homes for squirrels and other animals. Predators like herons and coyotes also hunt here.
Remember: Always keep your pets on a leash at Spreckels Lake. This is important for park rules and for your pet's safety. Coyotes live in the park, and they might see large dogs as rivals or small pets as prey.
Birds you might see at the lake include feral pigeons, seagulls, common ducks, mallards, coots, grebes, swallows, cormorants, herons, and egrets. Sometimes, you might even spot domestic geese. During migration seasons, Canada geese and other migratory ducks use the lake as a resting stop.
The lake's murky water is home to minnows, sticklebacks, and carp. Some of the carp might even be discarded goldfish or koi that have grown large. People sometimes dump goldfish in Golden Gate Park lakes for good luck or to "free" unwanted pets.
Spreckels Lake also has many turtles, mostly red-eared sliders. These are not native to California and were often kept as pets. Some turtles might be western painted turtles, which are native. There's even a large soft-shelled turtle living in the lake! Most turtles were probably released pets, but a healthy turtle population was noted as early as 1912.
You might also find freshwater clams, likely dropped by seagulls. Long ago, people used to catch crawfish in the lake.
Coyotes have moved into the park, and they sometimes hunt near the lake. They have been seen catching herons.
Fish Kills
Because the lake water is murky and shallow, and doesn't get much fresh water, it can have problems. When it's warm and still, algae can grow very fast. This uses up the oxygen in the water, which can cause fish and other water animals to die. There's an aeration system (like a giant bubbler) to help add oxygen and stir the water, but it often doesn't work. The lake needs a full cleanup, probably including dredging, to fix this problem long-term. This issue might get worse as the climate changes and the water gets warmer.
Wildlife and Model Boats
It is against the rules to bother or harm any wildlife at the lake with a model boat or any other way. This is illegal under park rules and state laws. Also, it is against the rules to feed the birds at the lake.
Lake Restoration Efforts
For the past 20 years, most efforts to fix the lake have been small, temporary repairs. This is mainly because there hasn't been enough money. In 1992, money was set aside to fix all the lakes in Golden Gate Park, but those funds ran out before Spreckels Lake got a full restoration.
Here are some of the problems the lake currently faces:
- Walkway and Wall Damage: The walkway and the wall around the lake are cracking and sinking. This creates potholes and makes it unsafe to walk.
- Trash in the Lake: Items like motorcycle frames and shopping carts have been found at the bottom of the lake.
- Silt Buildup: A lot of mud and dirt has built up on the lake bottom. This makes the lake shallower and can lead to fish dying.
- Bird Droppings: Seagulls and pigeons, especially during migration season, leave a lot of droppings on the walkways. This makes it hard to walk and pollutes the water when it rains.
- Aeration System: The system that adds oxygen to the water often breaks down. The park is looking into installing floating fountains to help circulate and oxygenate the water instead.
- Water Quality: The overall quality of the lake water needs to be improved.
Partial Wall Repair in 2013
From June to August 2013, Spreckels Lake was partially drained. This allowed workers to rebuild a section of the southeastern walkway and retaining wall. The old wall was weak and sinking. The new wall is made of strong, rebar-reinforced concrete with a deep foundation. Other parts of the old wall are now showing similar signs of damage.
Other Activities at the Lake
- T'ai Chi: Weekly T'ai chi classes are held along the western shore of the lake.
- Walking: The walkway around the lake is a popular spot for walking and light exercise.
- Historical Events: In 1909, the lake was even used for swimming competitions during San Francisco's Portolá Festival.
- Music Festivals: The Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival takes place nearby every August. Access to the lake is limited during this time.
Who Manages the Lake?
The San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department manages Spreckels Lake. They are in charge of public use, including model boaters not part of the SFMYC. However, the Rec & Parks Department often follows the lead of the SFMYC when making rules. They see the SFMYC as the main users and "experts" on how to use the lake.
