Pyramid Lake (Los Angeles County, California)

Pyramid Lake
Pyramid Lake and San Emigdio Mountains.
Location	Angeles National Forest / Los Padres National Forest Los Angeles County, California
Coordinates	34°38′39″N 118°45′51″W / 34.644153°N 118.764258°W / 34.644153; -118.764258Coordinates: 34°38′39″N 118°45′51″W / 34.644153°N 118.764258°W / 34.644153; -118.764258
Type	Reservoir
Primary inflows	West Branch California Aqueduct Piru Creek
Primary outflows	West Branch California Aqueduct Piru Creek
Basin countries	United States

Water volume	222,000 acre·ft (274,000,000 m³)
Surface elevation	786 m (2,579 ft)

References	U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pyramid Lake

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.

History

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.^[1]

This lake was created in 1972,^[2] 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.^[1] Travelers between Los Angeles and Bakersfield christened the landmark “Pyramid Rock,” which still stands just adjacent to the dam.^[1]

Geography

Pyramid Lake earthworks.

Pyramid Lake is the deepest lake in the California Water Project system, built up along the steep canyon walls surrounding Piru Creek.

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.

Pyramid Lake seen from the air with the Pacific Ocean in the distance.

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. Pumps carry water from Pyramid Lake to Castaic Lake, which is the terminus of the west branch of the aqueduct. Pyramid and Castaic act as the upper and lower reservoirs for a 1,495-megawatt pumped storage hydroelectric plant.

Pyramid Lake and San Emigdio Mountains.

Description

The 118 m (387 ft) earth and rock dam was built by the California Department of Water Resources and was completed in 1973. Pyramid Lake is part of the California Aqueduct, which is part of the California State Water Project. Outflow goes downstream to Castaic Lake, which is the terminus of this West Branch aqueduct line.

Pyramid and Castaic act as the upper and lower reservoirs for the Castaic Power Plant; a 1,495 megawatt pumped storage hydroelectric plant.^[3] It is the deepest lake in the California Water Project system. 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]

Recreation

View south towards Pyramid Dam from boat.

Pyramid Lake offers boating, fishing, jet skiing, and picnic areas (including 5 unique sites that are accessible only by boat), and courtesy docks.^[3]^[5] Vista del Lago Visitors Center overlooks the lake.^[6] Access is from Interstate 5 exit on Vista Del Lago.

Fishing is allowed from every location at Pyramid Lake. You can catch fish such as large mouth bass, small mouth bass, striped bass, blue gill, crappie, and some trout.

References

1 2 3 Pyramid Lake (Brochure). Dept of Water Resources, State of California. p. 2. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
↑ "US 99 – Piru Gorge, Beneath Pyramid Lake". p. 6. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
1 2 CA—DWR: Pyramid Lake
↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pyramid Lake
↑ Pyramid Lake recreation
↑ CA—DWR: Vista del Lago Visitors Center

External links

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Bodies of water	Los Angeles River Aliso Creek Arroyo Calabasas Arroyo Seco Ballona Creek Bell Creek Big Bear Lake Coyote Creek Lake Arrowhead Lake Gregory Lake Perris Lake Piru Los Angeles Aqueduct Malibu Creek Mojave River Pacific Ocean Pyramid Lake Rio Hondo San Gabriel River San Juan Creek San Pedro Bay Santa Ana River Santa Clara River Santa Margarita River Santa Monica Bay Tujunga Wash

California State Water Project

Dams	Antelope B.F. Sisk Bethany Castaic Cedar Springs Del Valle Elderberry Forebay Fish Barrier Frenchman Grizzly Valley Little Panoche Los Banos Dam O'Neill Oroville Perris Pyramid Quail Lake Thermalito Afterbay Thermalito Diversion Thermalito Forebay

Reservoirs	Antelope Lake Bethany Reservoir Castaic Lake Clifton Court Forebay Elderberry Forebay Frenchman Lake Lake Davis Lake Del Valle Lake Oroville Lake Perris Little Panoche Reservoir Los Banos Reservoir O'Neill Forebay Pyramid Lake Quail Lake San Luis Reservoir Silverwood Lake Tehachapi Afterbay Thermalito Afterbay Thermalito Forebay

Rivers and bodies of water	Feather River Piru Creek Sacramento River Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta San Luis Creek

Aqueducts and canals	California Aqueduct Coastal Branch East Branch West Branch North Bay Aqueduct South Bay Aqueduct

Other facilities	Banks Pumping Plant Castaic Power Plant Devil Canyon Power Plant Dos Amigos Pumping Plant Edmonston Pumping Plant Feather River Fish Hatchery Kern River Intertie O'Neill Pumping-Generating Plant Oroville-Thermalito Complex South Bay Pumping Plant

Related	CALFED Bay-Delta Program California Department of Water Resources Peripheral Canal Bay Delta Conservation Plan

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