Vail Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vail Lake |
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 Vail Lake
Location in California
Vail Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Riverside County, California |
| Coordinates | 33°29′28″N 116°58′17″W / 33.49111°N 116.97139°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Temecula Creek, Kolb Creek, Wilson Creek |
| Primary outflows | Temecula Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Water volume | 61.5×106 m3 (49,900 acre⋅ft) |
| Surface elevation | 1460 feet (445 m) |
Vail Lake is a large reservoir in western Riverside County, southern California. It's a man-made lake that holds water for different uses.
Contents
Where is Vail Lake Located?
Vail Lake is found on Temecula Creek. It sits in the Butterfield Valley, which is south of Oak Mountain. This area is part of the Black Hills.
The lake is also part of the Santa Margarita River watershed. This means that all the rain and water that flows in this area eventually makes its way to the Santa Margarita River. Vail Lake is about 15 miles (24 km) east of the city of Temecula.
How Big is Vail Lake?
Vail Lake covers about 1,100 acres (4.5 square kilometers). That's like 800 football fields! It can hold a lot of water, up to 51,000 acre-feet. An acre-foot is the amount of water that would cover one acre of land to a depth of one foot. Currently, it holds about 34,000 acre-feet of water.
Water flows into Vail Lake from Kolb, Temecula, and Wilson Creeks, especially when it rains. The water stored in the lake helps refill the underground water supplies. This is important for people who use groundwater.
Special Plants Around the Lake
Near Vail Lake, there is a very special flowering plant. It's called the Ceanothus ophiochilus, also known as the Vail Lake ceanothus. This plant is endemic to this area. This means it only grows naturally in this one spot in the whole world!
The Vail Lake ceanothus was discovered in 1989. It is also an endangered plant, which means it's at risk of disappearing forever.
History of Vail Lake
Vail Lake was created in 1948. The people who owned the Vail Ranch built a dam that was 132 feet (40 meters) high. This dam is called the Vail Lake Dam.
Since 1978, the Rancho California Water District has owned and managed the dam and the lake.
Fun Activities at Vail Lake
The land around Vail Lake is privately owned. This means that access to the lake for fun activities is controlled by the owners. In 1968, a place called Butterfield Country Recreation Park opened. It allowed people to visit the lake and its marina. However, this park closed in 1989.
Later, in 1995, a special resort opened for members only. Then, in 2000, the area was opened to the public again. Now, people can visit by paying an annual fee.
Today, you can enjoy many activities at Vail Lake. These include fishing, boating, RV camping, mountain biking, miniature golf, and swimming.
