Una Lake (California) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Una Lake |
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 Una Lake
Location in California
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| Location | Palmdale, Los Angeles County, California |
| Coordinates | 34°33′00″N 118°06′41″W / 34.55000°N 118.11139°W |
| Type | sag pond |
Una Lake is a special type of small lake called a sag pond. You can find it in Palmdale, which is in Los Angeles County, California. This lake is located in the Antelope Valley, right within the San Andreas Rift Zone. It sits at an elevation of about 2,812 feet (857 meters) above sea level.
Contents
How Una Lake Was Formed
Una Lake is a "sag pond." This means it formed in a dip or hollow area along a fault line. The ground sinks a bit in these spots, and if water collects there, it creates a pond or lake.
History of Una Lake
Una Lake used to be much bigger than it is today. Its size would change a lot depending on how much rain fell each year.
Railroad Changes the Lake
In the 1870s, a company called the Southern Pacific built a raised path for their train tracks. This path, called a causeway, went right across the lake bed. This divided the original large lake into two parts. The eastern part became what we now know as Una Lake.
Keeping the Lake Full for Farming
Later, in 1897, a group called the South Antelope Valley Irrigation Company built a dam. This dam was located west of the railroad causeway. They also dug a ditch from Little Rock Creek. Their goal was to keep Una Lake full of water all year round. This water was used to irrigate farms south of Palmdale.
Una Lake Becomes Part of a Larger Reservoir
You can see how big this reservoir of Una Lake was on old maps, like the 1915 U. S. Geological Survey map of the Lake Elizabeth area. Over time, the dam was made even better. This led to the creation of a much larger body of water called Harold Reservoir in 1924. This larger reservoir was later renamed Lake Palmdale.
