Folsom Lake
| Folsom Lake | |
|---|---|
 Folsom Lake in 2006 | |
| Location | Northern California |
| Coordinates | 38°43′14″N 121°08′02″W / 38.720605°N 121.133926°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | American River |
| Primary outflows | American River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 11,450 acres (4,630 ha) |
| Water volume | 976,000 acre-feet (1.204×109 m3)[1] |
| Dam | Folsom Dam |
Folsom Lake is a reservoir on the American River in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California.
It is located within Placer, El Dorado, and Sacramento Counties. It is about 25 mi (40 km) northeast of Sacramento.
History
The Folsom Lake reservoir is formed by Folsom Dam, built in 1955 to control and retain the American River. The dam and reservoir are part of the Folsom Project, which also includes the Nimbus afterbay reservoir and dam facilities. The Folsom Project, operated by the United States Bureau of Reclamation, is part of the Central Valley Project, a multipurpose project that provides flood control, hydroelectricity, drinking water, and water for irrigation.
When the dam was built it was designed to hold 976,000 acre-feet (1,204,000 dam3) with a surface area of 11,450 acres (4,630 ha).[2]
During the drought of late 2013, part of the 2012–14 North American drought, the town known as Mormon Island reappeared 58 years after being submerged under Folsom Lake, with stone walls from some of the outlying areas being revealed by the shrinking lake.[3]
Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
The Folsom Lake State Recreation Area surrounds the reservoir, and is managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. [4] It is widely used for recreation, with areas designated for hiking, camping, and biking.The lake is also commonly used for fishing, boating, water-skiing, and even horseback riding. [5]
See also
- List of dams and reservoirs in California
- List of largest reservoirs of California
- Lakes of the Sierra Nevada (U.S.)
References
- ^ "Folsom Dam". www.usbr.gov. US Bureau of Reclamation. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
- ^ "Folsom Dam". www.usbr.gov. US Bureau of Reclamation. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
- ^ "Folsom Lake dry spell reveals submerged gold rush town | Sacramento News - KCRA Home". Kcra.com. 2014-01-18. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
- ^ Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
- ^ "Folsom Lake SRA". www.parks.ca.gov. Retrieved 2016-02-29.