Diamond Valley Lake
Encyclopedia
The embankment required 43000000 cubic yards (32,875,858.9 m³) of crushed rock. An on-site crushing plant crushed and processed over 14 million tons of rock in 20 months to supply the dam's materials. The cut-off wall, which consists of a 3 foot (0.9144 m) thick plastic concrete mix constructed through the weathered portion of bedrock, varies in depth from 10 feet (3 m) to 110 feet (33.5 m) and totals 250000 square feet (23,225.8 m²). A two-line grout curtain reaches depths of 150 feet (45.7 m) below the foundation in the north segment of the East Dam and 100 feet (30.5 m) in the south segment.
Because of the amount of material use in the construction of the east dam, some of the biggest trucks in the world had to be brought to the site. Twelve Caterpillar 789 dump truck
's were used in construction of the East Dam. The trucks, costing $1.4 million each, weighed up to 350 tons when full of rock, and use a 1800 hp engine that burns 40 gallons (151.4 l) of fuel per hour. They were so big that they had to be brought to the reservoir site in pieces and assembled on site.
and schist
bedrock. To minimise foundation seepage, a two-line grout curtain extends up to 100 feet (30.5 m) below the foundation.
and San Diego Canal. Water would first enter the fore-bay, a 35 acres (141,640.1 m²) 163 million USgals (617,022.2 m³) basin that held the water before being pumped through the pumping station. The pumping station, named after one of the founders of the MWD, Hiram W. Wadsworth, features twelve 6000 hp pumps for moving water from the forebay to the intake-outlet (I/O) tower. In 2001, four of the twelve pumps were converted to hydroelectric turbine generators capable of producing 3 megawatts of power each. If all the pumps were converted, the entire facility could produce up to 40 megawatts of power.
Water is pumped from the pumping station, located just outside of the west dam, through a 2000 feet (609.6 m) long, 16 feet (4.9 m) diameter pipe and into the lake via the I/O tower. At peak rate, water flowed into the lake at 1000 cubic feet (28.3 m³) per second. Filling of the lake finished in 2003
In 2009, the lake began being filled with water provided by the Inland Feeder
after nearly two years without a source. The water replenished much of what was lost after drought conditions required the MWD to tap into the lake. Water from the Colorado River Aqueduct is not being used due to the threat of the Quagga mussel
, an invasive species
that has already contaminated other Southern California lakes served by the aqueduct.
, camel
, sloth
, dire wolf
and long-horned bison.
Paleontologists from the San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands, California uncovered thousands of fossils in the Diamond and Domenigoni valleys that will add immensely to the store of public knowledge about the region. Collectively, these animal fossils are named the Diamond Valley Lake Local Fauna.
The paleontological finds of mammoth
, mastodon
, bison
, and other Pleistocene
Epoch species from Diamond Valley Lake provide a unique snapshot on inland southern California during the Ice Ages, and bridge a massive data gap between fossil deposits at La Brea tar pits
in Los Angeles, California and Ice Age sites in the Mojave Desert. Unofficially, the Diamond Valley Lake area is often referred to as the "Valley of the Mastodons". Fossils from the Diamond Valley Lake site comprise a classic late Pleistocene assemblage which includes the following extinct animals:
Many fossils of rabbits, rodents and pond turtles, as well as coyotes, deer and the Black bear, have been recovered as well. One of the most common animals identified from the Diamond Valley Lake site by San Bernardino County Museum scientists was the extinct American mastodon, Mammut americanum. In North American paleontology, mastodons are thought to have been solitary forest-dwelling browsers. The abundance of mastodons in the fossil record from the site suggests that, during the last Ice Age, the Diamond Valley Lake site was more wooded or forested than today. Fossil remains of ponderosa pine and manzanita recovered from the site lend credence to this interpretation. Radiometric dating of fossil plants from the Diamond Valley Lake site confirms an age range of less than 13,000 years ago to more than 60,000 years ago for these fossils.
. The reserve is home to at least 16 sensitive, endangered or threatened native California bird, animal and plant species.
Stocking of the lake with fish began before reservoir was filled with a small rearing pond being placed on the bottom of the valley. The lake has several species of freshwater Fish; Largemouth Bass
, Smallmouth Bass
, Bluegill
, Crappie
, Rainbow Trout
, Striped Bass
, Channel Catfish
, and Shad
. It is considered one of the best fisheries in California
.
Much of the area around the lake remains undeveloped and empty. Original plans included large recreation areas on both the eastern and western end of the lake complete with golf courses, camping grounds, swimming lakes, water parks and other amenities. The MWD still plans on building the additional recreation facilities, but lack of funding and lack of support from developers has prevented them from doing so.
Because of the amount of material use in the construction of the east dam, some of the biggest trucks in the world had to be brought to the site. Twelve Caterpillar 789 dump truck
Caterpillar 789 dump truck
The Caterpillar 789 dump truck is a model of large dump trucks, typically used in open pit mining, manufactured by Caterpillar Inc.The 789 has a capacity of 195 tons, and its engine can produce 1705 horsepower....
's were used in construction of the East Dam. The trucks, costing $1.4 million each, weighed up to 350 tons when full of rock, and use a 1800 hp engine that burns 40 gallons (151.4 l) of fuel per hour. They were so big that they had to be brought to the reservoir site in pieces and assembled on site.
Saddle Dam
The Saddle Dam rises 130 feet (39.6 m) above the lowest point in the ridgeline of the north rim and is around 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) long. The dam was built to increase the storage capacity of the lake, which would have been limited due to the lower ridge in this area. It is founded completely on phyllitePhyllite
Phyllite is a type of foliated metamorphic rock primarily composed of quartz, sericite mica, and chlorite; the rock represents a gradation in the degree of metamorphism between slate and mica schist. Minute crystals of graphite, sericite, or chlorite impart a silky, sometimes golden sheen to the...
and schist
Schist
The schists constitute a group of medium-grade metamorphic rocks, chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar minerals such as micas, chlorite, talc, hornblende, graphite, and others. Quartz often occurs in drawn-out grains to such an extent that a particular form called quartz schist is...
bedrock. To minimise foundation seepage, a two-line grout curtain extends up to 100 feet (30.5 m) below the foundation.
Filling the lake
Filling of the lake began in 1999 with water provided by the Colorado River AqueductColorado River Aqueduct
The Colorado River Aqueduct, or CRA, is a water conveyance in Southern California in the United States, operated by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California . The aqueduct impounds water from the Colorado River at Lake Havasu on the California-Arizona border west across the Mojave...
and San Diego Canal. Water would first enter the fore-bay, a 35 acres (141,640.1 m²) 163 million USgals (617,022.2 m³) basin that held the water before being pumped through the pumping station. The pumping station, named after one of the founders of the MWD, Hiram W. Wadsworth, features twelve 6000 hp pumps for moving water from the forebay to the intake-outlet (I/O) tower. In 2001, four of the twelve pumps were converted to hydroelectric turbine generators capable of producing 3 megawatts of power each. If all the pumps were converted, the entire facility could produce up to 40 megawatts of power.
Water is pumped from the pumping station, located just outside of the west dam, through a 2000 feet (609.6 m) long, 16 feet (4.9 m) diameter pipe and into the lake via the I/O tower. At peak rate, water flowed into the lake at 1000 cubic feet (28.3 m³) per second. Filling of the lake finished in 2003
In 2009, the lake began being filled with water provided by the Inland Feeder
Inland Feeder
The Inland Feeder is a high capacity water conveyance system that connects the California State Water Project to the Colorado River Aqueduct and Diamond Valley Lake...
after nearly two years without a source. The water replenished much of what was lost after drought conditions required the MWD to tap into the lake. Water from the Colorado River Aqueduct is not being used due to the threat of the Quagga mussel
Quagga mussel
The quagga mussel is a subspecies of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk.It is one of seven Dreissena species and has an average life span of 3 to 5 years....
, an invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
that has already contaminated other Southern California lakes served by the aqueduct.
Paleontological finds
During excavation, bones and skeletons were found from extinct mastodons, mammothMammoth
A mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus. These proboscideans are members of Elephantidae, the family of elephants and mammoths, and close relatives of modern elephants. They were often equipped with long curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair...
, camel
Camel
A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
, sloth
Sloth
Sloths are the six species of medium-sized mammals belonging to the families Megalonychidae and Bradypodidae , part of the order Pilosa and therefore related to armadillos and anteaters, which sport a similar set of specialized claws.They are arboreal residents of the jungles of Central and South...
, dire wolf
Dire Wolf
The Dire Wolf, Canis dirus, is an extinct carnivorous mammal of the genus Canis, and was most common in North America and South America from the Irvingtonian stage to the Rancholabrean stage of the Pleistocene epoch living 1.80 Ma – 10,000 years ago, existing for approximately .- Relationships...
and long-horned bison.
Paleontologists from the San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands, California uncovered thousands of fossils in the Diamond and Domenigoni valleys that will add immensely to the store of public knowledge about the region. Collectively, these animal fossils are named the Diamond Valley Lake Local Fauna.
The paleontological finds of mammoth
Mammoth
A mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus. These proboscideans are members of Elephantidae, the family of elephants and mammoths, and close relatives of modern elephants. They were often equipped with long curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair...
, mastodon
Mastodon
Mastodons were large tusked mammal species of the extinct genus Mammut which inhabited Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and Central America from the Oligocene through Pleistocene, 33.9 mya to 11,000 years ago. The American mastodon is the most recent and best known species of the group...
, bison
Bison
Members of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...
, and other Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
Epoch species from Diamond Valley Lake provide a unique snapshot on inland southern California during the Ice Ages, and bridge a massive data gap between fossil deposits at La Brea tar pits
La Brea Tar Pits
The La Brea Tar Pits are a cluster of tar pits around which Hancock Park was formed, in the urban heart of Los Angeles. Asphaltum or tar has seeped up from the ground in this area for tens of thousands of years. The tar is often covered with water...
in Los Angeles, California and Ice Age sites in the Mojave Desert. Unofficially, the Diamond Valley Lake area is often referred to as the "Valley of the Mastodons". Fossils from the Diamond Valley Lake site comprise a classic late Pleistocene assemblage which includes the following extinct animals:
- Jefferson’s ground sloth, Megalonyx jeffersoniiMegalonyx jeffersoniiMegalonyx jeffersonii, or Jefferson's ground sloth, is an extinct species of giant ground sloth that lived from the Illinoian Stage during the Middle Pleistocene through to the Rancholabrean of the Late Pleistocene . Its closest living relatives are the two-toed tree sloths of the genus...
- Harlan’s ground sloth, Paramylodon harlani
- Dire wolf, Canis dirus
- Giant Short-faced bear, Arctodus simus
- Sabre-toothed cat, Smilodon fatalis
- American lion, Panthera leo atrox
- American mastodon, Mammut americanum
- Columbian mammoth, Mammuthus columbi
- Western horse, Equus “occidentalis”
- Small horse, Equus conversidensEquus conversidensEquus conversidens Owen 1869, or the Mexican Horse, was a Pleistocene species of horse, now extinct, that inhabited North America.Fossils found in Mexico, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and Florida have been identified as Equus conversidens...
- Flat-headed peccary, Platygonus compressus
- “Yesterday’s” camel, Camelops hesternus
- Ancient bison, Bison antiquusBison antiquusBison antiquus, sometimes called the ancient bison, was the most common large herbivore of the North American continent for over ten thousand years, and is a direct ancestor of the living American bison....
- Long-horned bison, Bison latifronsBison latifronsBison latifrons is an extinct species of bison that lived in North America during the Pleistocene. Also known as the giant bison, it reached a shoulder height of 2.5 metres , and had horns that spanned over 2 metres...
- Diminutive Pronghorn, Capromeryx minorCapromeryx minorCapromeryx minor is a very small, extinct species of pronghorn-like antilocaprid ungulate discovered in the La Brea Tar Pits of California and elsewhere. It has been found at least as far east as the coast of Texas. It stood about 60 centimetres tall at the shoulders and weighed about 10...
Many fossils of rabbits, rodents and pond turtles, as well as coyotes, deer and the Black bear, have been recovered as well. One of the most common animals identified from the Diamond Valley Lake site by San Bernardino County Museum scientists was the extinct American mastodon, Mammut americanum. In North American paleontology, mastodons are thought to have been solitary forest-dwelling browsers. The abundance of mastodons in the fossil record from the site suggests that, during the last Ice Age, the Diamond Valley Lake site was more wooded or forested than today. Fossil remains of ponderosa pine and manzanita recovered from the site lend credence to this interpretation. Radiometric dating of fossil plants from the Diamond Valley Lake site confirms an age range of less than 13,000 years ago to more than 60,000 years ago for these fossils.
Recreation
Diamond Valley Lake offers fishing and light boating on the lake. A recreation park, aquatic center, visitor center and the Western Science Center along with the lake marina are located on the eastern end of the lake. A viewpoint, offering views of the pumping station and I/O tower, along with most of the lake is located on the western end of the lake. To the south of the lake is the Southwestern Riverside County Multi-Species Reserve, a 13500 acre (54.6 km²; 21.1 sq mi) preserve between Diamond Valley Lake and Lake SkinnerLake Skinner
Lake Skinner is a large reservoir in western Riverside County, California, located at the foot of Bachelor Mountain in the Auld Valley, approximately 10 miles northeast of Temecula...
. The reserve is home to at least 16 sensitive, endangered or threatened native California bird, animal and plant species.
Stocking of the lake with fish began before reservoir was filled with a small rearing pond being placed on the bottom of the valley. The lake has several species of freshwater Fish; Largemouth Bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
, Bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
, Crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, Rainbow Trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
, Striped Bass
Striped bass
The striped bass is the state fish of Maryland, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and the state saltwater fish of New York, Virginia, and New Hampshire...
, Channel Catfish
Channel catfish
Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States they are the most fished catfish species with approximately 8...
, and Shad
Shad
The shads or river herrings comprise the genus Alosa, fish related to herring in the family Clupeidae. They are distinct from others in that family by having a deeper body and spawning in rivers. The several species frequent different areas on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea....
. It is considered one of the best fisheries in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Much of the area around the lake remains undeveloped and empty. Original plans included large recreation areas on both the eastern and western end of the lake complete with golf courses, camping grounds, swimming lakes, water parks and other amenities. The MWD still plans on building the additional recreation facilities, but lack of funding and lack of support from developers has prevented them from doing so.