Pyramid Lake (Los Angeles County, California)

Coordinates: 34°38′39″N 118°45′51″W / 34.644153°N 118.764258°W / 34.644153; -118.764258
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Pyramid Lake
Primary inflows
West Branch California Aqueduct
Piru Creek
Primary outflowsWest Branch California Aqueduct
Piru Creek
Basin countriesUnited States
Max. depth280 ft (85 m)
Water volume222,000 acre⋅ft (274,000,000 m3)
Shore length121 mi (34 km)
Surface elevation786 m (2,579 ft)
ReferencesU.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pyramid Lake
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Pyramid Lake is a reservoir formed by Pyramid Dam on Piru Creek in the eastern San Emigdio Mountains, near Castaic, Southern California. It is a part of the West Branch California Aqueduct, which is a part of the California State Water Project. Its water is fed by the system after being pumped up from the San Joaquin Valley and through the Tehachapi Mountains.[citation needed]

Background

This lake was created in 1972,[1] and completed in 1973, as a holding reservoir for the California State Water Project. The lake was named after a pyramid-shaped rock carved out by engineers building U.S. Route 99.[2] Travelers between Los Angeles and Bakersfield christened the landmark “Pyramid Rock,” which still stands just adjacent to the dam.[2]

The 118 m (387 ft) earth and rock

aqueduct line.[citation needed
]

Pyramid and Castaic lakes act as the upper and lower reservoirs for the

hydroelectric plant located at Castaic Lake.[3]
The plant generates electricity from the water that flows down from Pyramid Lake to Castaic Lake, and can store energy by pumping water in the reverse direction when desired.

Its name comes from the Pyramid Rock, created when a ridge was cut through in 1932 by the Ridge Route Alternate (US 99). Pyramid Rock still exists directly in front of the dam.[4]

In 1843, gold was discovered near what is now Pyramid Lake, in the Santa Feliciana Canyon, just south of what is now Pyramid Dam. The small find failed to trigger a rush to the mountainous countryside. Only Francisco Lopes, owner of Rancho Temescal, a Mexican land grant, and a handful of ranchers attempted to settle the region.[2]

Geography

Pyramid Lake is built up along the steep canyon walls surrounding Piru Creek.[citation needed]

The 180,000 acre⋅ft (220,000,000 m3) reservoir lies on the border between the Angeles National Forest and the Los Padres National Forest, in the northwestern portion of Los Angeles County. It is to the west of Interstate 5 (I-5) south of Tejon Pass. The former alignment of US 99 is below the waters here, replaced by I-5.[citation needed]

Just below the dam, Piru Creek returns to its natural state as it winds down through the Topatopa Mountains to feed into the Lake Piru reservoir and later the Santa Clara River. Water from Pyramid Lake continues through the Angeles Tunnel to Castaic Lake, which is the terminus of the west branch of the aqueduct.[citation needed]

Recreation

Pyramid Lake offers boating, fishing, jet skiing, and picnic areas (including 5 unique sites that are accessible only by boat), and courtesy docks.

Vista del Lago Visitors Center overlooks the lake.[5] Access is from exiting Interstate 5
at Vista Del Lago Road (Exit 191).

Fishing is allowed from every location at Pyramid Lake. One can catch fish such as large mouth bass, small mouth bass, striped bass, blue gill, crappie, and some trout. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has developed a safe eating advisory for fish caught in Piru Creek based on levels of mercury or PCBs found in local species.[6]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ "US 99 – Piru Gorge, Beneath Pyramid Lake". January 18, 2009. p. 6. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c Pyramid Lake (PDF). Dept of Water Resources, State of California. p. 2. Archived from the original (Brochure) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Pyramid Lake". CA—DWR. Archived from the original on April 5, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  4. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pyramid Lake
  5. ^ "Vista del Lago Visitors Center". CA—DWR. Archived from the original on April 5, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  6. ^ Admin, OEHHA (December 30, 2014). "Pyramid Lake". OEHHA. Retrieved June 13, 2018.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pyramid Lake (Los Angeles County, California).


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