Lake Cachuma
Encyclopedia
Lake Cachuma is an artificial lake
located in the Santa Ynez Valley
of central Santa Barbara County, California
on the Santa Ynez River
adjoining the north side of California State Route 154. The reservoir
was created by the construction of Bradbury Dam
, a 201 ft (61.3 m) earth-fill structure built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
in 1953. Its surface area covers 3100 acre (1,254.5 ha), with a maximum design capacity of 205000 acre.ft.
A large campsite
on the south shore of Lake Cachuma is administered by the Santa Barbara County Parks department. The County Parks department offers tent, RV, yurt, and group camping and fishing, boating, hiking, lake cruises, and nature programs.
The University of California, Santa Barbara
rowing
team regularly practices and races at Lake Cachuma and erected a permanent boathouse there just prior to the 1982-1983 school year. The lake is also a popular destination for viewing Bald Eagles from seasonal tour boats.
Solvang, California
is approximately 10.5 mi (16.9 km) to the west of Lake Cachuma. The town of Santa Ynez, California
is approximately 7.25 mi (11.7 km) to the west of Bradbury Dam.
The name "Cachuma" comes from a Chumash village that the Spanish spelled "Aquitsumu", from the Barbareno Chumash word aqitsu'm, meaning "sign".
, the Cachuma Lake Nature Center features exhibits and hands-on displays about the area's cultural and natural history
, including local plants, animals, birds and geology. The nature center
is open year-round and admission is free. Park naturalists and volunteers lead guided nature walks and cruises, and offer school and youth nature education programs and workshops.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
located in the Santa Ynez Valley
Santa Ynez Valley
The Santa Ynez Valley is located in Santa Barbara County, California, between the Santa Ynez Mountains to the south and the San Rafael Mountains to the north. The Santa Ynez River flows through the valley from east to west. The Santa Ynez Valley is separated from the Los Alamos Valley, to the...
of central Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
on the Santa Ynez River
Santa Ynez River
The Santa Ynez River is one of the largest rivers on the Central Coast of California. It is long, flowing from east to west through the Santa Ynez Valley, reaching the Pacific Ocean at Surf, near Vandenberg Air Force Base and the city of Lompoc....
adjoining the north side of California State Route 154. The reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
was created by the construction of Bradbury Dam
Bradbury Dam
Bradbury Dam is an earthen dam across the Santa Ynez River in central Santa Barbara County, California. The dam forms Lake Cachuma, which provides the majority of water supplies within the county....
, a 201 ft (61.3 m) earth-fill structure built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
United States Bureau of Reclamation
The United States Bureau of Reclamation , and formerly the United States Reclamation Service , is an agency under the U.S...
in 1953. Its surface area covers 3100 acre (1,254.5 ha), with a maximum design capacity of 205000 acre.ft.
A large campsite
Campsite
A campsite or camping pitch is a place used for overnight stay in the outdoors. In British English a campsite is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using tents or camper vans or caravans; this British English use of the word is synonymous with the...
on the south shore of Lake Cachuma is administered by the Santa Barbara County Parks department. The County Parks department offers tent, RV, yurt, and group camping and fishing, boating, hiking, lake cruises, and nature programs.
The University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
team regularly practices and races at Lake Cachuma and erected a permanent boathouse there just prior to the 1982-1983 school year. The lake is also a popular destination for viewing Bald Eagles from seasonal tour boats.
Solvang, California
Solvang, California
Solvang is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. It is one of the communities that make up the Santa Ynez Valley. The population was 5,245 at the 2010 census, down from 5,332 at the 2000 census...
is approximately 10.5 mi (16.9 km) to the west of Lake Cachuma. The town of Santa Ynez, California
Santa Ynez, California
Santa Ynez is a census-designated place in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The town of Santa Ynez is one of the communities that make up the Santa Ynez Valley, and features the Santa Ynez Airport for general aviation with a paved 2804 x 75 foot runway. The population was 4,418...
is approximately 7.25 mi (11.7 km) to the west of Bradbury Dam.
The name "Cachuma" comes from a Chumash village that the Spanish spelled "Aquitsumu", from the Barbareno Chumash word aqitsu'm, meaning "sign".
Cachuma Lake Nature Center
Located in Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
, the Cachuma Lake Nature Center features exhibits and hands-on displays about the area's cultural and natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, including local plants, animals, birds and geology. The nature center
Nature center
A nature center is an organization with a visitor center or interpretive center designed to educate people about nature and the environment. Usually located within a protected open space, nature centers often have trails through their property. Some are located within a state or city park, and...
is open year-round and admission is free. Park naturalists and volunteers lead guided nature walks and cruises, and offer school and youth nature education programs and workshops.