Lake Earl (California)
Encyclopedia
Lake Earl is a navigable body of water in Del Norte County, California
, in the United States, partly within Tolowa Dunes State Park
and partly within Lake Earl Wildlife Area. Lake Earl generally refers to a large lagoon
with two principal lobes separated by "the Narrows." The smaller lobe, which is also closer to the ocean and the sand bar breach site, is called Lake Tolowa by the California Department of Fish and Game
, or Lake Talawa in some documents. The larger lobe of the lagoon is Lake Earl. As opposed to an estuary
, which is typically open to the ocean and fresh water constantly, a lagoon seals up seasonally and fills with a predominance of fresh water. The lagoon, located on the coast of California about 11 miles south of the border with Oregon
, is manually breached when the water levels rise to 8–10 feet mean sea level
. Though references to levels on USGS charts are made relative to Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) leading to difficulty over the management of the Lake's levels. (MSL). If allowed to breach naturally (i.e., without human interference), the water surface would rise to 12–14 feet. At 10 feet MSL there is approximately 4900 acres (19.8 km²) of water surface in the lagoons and 4950 acres (20 km²) of wetlands; at 8 feet MSL, the surface waters area is approximately 4200 acres (17 km²). At two feet MSL, the combined surface area is a mere 2191 acres (8.9 km²) of open water (TetraTec, 2000) surrounded by 2000 acres (8.1 km²)of wetlands.
Lake Earl is largest coastal lagoon in California, and possibly in the west coast of the continental United States. Due to the remoteness and natural beauty of the landscape, the Lake is often used for birders
and is locally popular with duck hunters. Fishing for Cutthroat trout is a popular use. The Lake is lightly used by kayakers
. Water skiing
is prohibited. Though this may be a violation of the Navigation Acts.
. To permit the breaching, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers consulted with United States Fish and Wildlife Service
to determine the effects of water movement on several species. Species affected included the California Brown Pelican, Western Snowy Plover, Bald Eagle
, Oregon silverspot butterfly
, and tidewater goby. The Corps formally determined that the project would have no effect on the western lily
. coho salmon have not been observed in the lagoon since 1989, seven years after the Department of Fish and Game stopped planting them. (This is a debated statement, and CA Fish and Game has spent millions of dollars on Salmon Habitat Restoration claiming it helps migrating Salmon, including coho. If Salmon don't migrate, then the funds were misappropriated.)
took place at a Tolowa
village near Lake Earl in 1854. Some people were shot when they tried retreating into the lake.
Lake Earl is a significant component in the Flood Control Plan for the County of Del Norte. The breaching of the Lake's sandbar is vital to the functioning of sewers and wells, and for the management of runoff from storms and seasonal rains.
The California legislature directed and provided funding to the California Department of Fish and Game to begin purchasing properties for the Lake Earl Wildlife Area under the Keen-Nejedly Act of 1975. The Department of Fish and Game owns most of the area directly affected by the rising waters of Lake Earl in the Lake Earl Wildlife Area and the Tolowa Dunes State Park. Other properties are owned by various non-profit organization
s and private citizens. The Department of Fish and Game plans to purchase the remaining properties at fair market value
, though some landowners feel that Fish and Game is managing the lagoon to flood their land and drive the price down.
The lagoon is also the site of a busy history, including Indian massacres, feuds between cattlemen and loggers, and eventually between government and private property advocates.
There is a native legend or metaphor of the Great Snake that abides in the lagoon and escapes to the ocean periodically. It goes when the Snake wants.
Del Norte County, California
Del Norte County is a county located at the far northwest corner of the U.S. state of California on the Pacific adjacent to the Oregon border. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 28,610. The county seat is Crescent City, the county's only incorporated city. Del Norte is the abbreviated...
, in the United States, partly within Tolowa Dunes State Park
Tolowa Dunes State Park
Tolowa Dunes State Park is a California State Park located on California's far North Coast. Encompassing Lake Earl and Lake Tolowa and a significant portion of the relatively large coastal plain around it, this park - a sanctuary for bird life - is easily reached by US 101 just north of Crescent...
and partly within Lake Earl Wildlife Area. Lake Earl generally refers to a large lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
with two principal lobes separated by "the Narrows." The smaller lobe, which is also closer to the ocean and the sand bar breach site, is called Lake Tolowa by the California Department of Fish and Game
California Department of Fish and Game
The California Department of Fish and Game is a department within the government of California, falling under its parent California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Fish and Game manages and protects the state's diverse fish, wildlife, plant resources, and native habitats...
, or Lake Talawa in some documents. The larger lobe of the lagoon is Lake Earl. As opposed to an estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
, which is typically open to the ocean and fresh water constantly, a lagoon seals up seasonally and fills with a predominance of fresh water. The lagoon, located on the coast of California about 11 miles south of the border with Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, is manually breached when the water levels rise to 8–10 feet mean sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. Though references to levels on USGS charts are made relative to Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) leading to difficulty over the management of the Lake's levels. (MSL). If allowed to breach naturally (i.e., without human interference), the water surface would rise to 12–14 feet. At 10 feet MSL there is approximately 4900 acres (19.8 km²) of water surface in the lagoons and 4950 acres (20 km²) of wetlands; at 8 feet MSL, the surface waters area is approximately 4200 acres (17 km²). At two feet MSL, the combined surface area is a mere 2191 acres (8.9 km²) of open water (TetraTec, 2000) surrounded by 2000 acres (8.1 km²)of wetlands.
Lake Earl is largest coastal lagoon in California, and possibly in the west coast of the continental United States. Due to the remoteness and natural beauty of the landscape, the Lake is often used for birders
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
and is locally popular with duck hunters. Fishing for Cutthroat trout is a popular use. The Lake is lightly used by kayakers
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
. Water skiing
Water skiing
thumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...
is prohibited. Though this may be a violation of the Navigation Acts.
Endangered Species Act
The lagoon is home to numerous California state- and/or federally listed threatened or endangered speciesEndangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
. To permit the breaching, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers consulted with United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
to determine the effects of water movement on several species. Species affected included the California Brown Pelican, Western Snowy Plover, Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
, Oregon silverspot butterfly
Speyeria zerene
Zerene Fritillary is a species of butterfly found in the western portions of the United States and Canada.-Description:...
, and tidewater goby. The Corps formally determined that the project would have no effect on the western lily
Lilium occidentale
Lilium occidentale is a rare species of lily known by the common name western lily. It is native to northern California and southern Oregon, where it is known from 28 locations all within six miles of the coast. It grows in coastal prairie habitat, swamps and stagnant bogs with Drosera species,...
. coho salmon have not been observed in the lagoon since 1989, seven years after the Department of Fish and Game stopped planting them. (This is a debated statement, and CA Fish and Game has spent millions of dollars on Salmon Habitat Restoration claiming it helps migrating Salmon, including coho. If Salmon don't migrate, then the funds were misappropriated.)
History
The Achulet MassacreAchulet Massacre
The Achulet Massacre was an 1854 massacre of more than 65 Tolowa people by settlers at the village of Achulet, near Lake Earl in California.The attack was instigated in response to the theft of a white man's horse by an Indian. The party involved hid in the brush near the village at night,...
took place at a Tolowa
Tolowa
The Tolowa are a Native American tribe. They still reside in their traditional territories in northwestern California and southern Oregon. Tolowa are members of the federally recognized Smith River Rancheria, Elk Valley Rancheria, Confederated Tribes of Siletz, as well as the unrecognized Tolowa...
village near Lake Earl in 1854. Some people were shot when they tried retreating into the lake.
Lake Earl is a significant component in the Flood Control Plan for the County of Del Norte. The breaching of the Lake's sandbar is vital to the functioning of sewers and wells, and for the management of runoff from storms and seasonal rains.
The California legislature directed and provided funding to the California Department of Fish and Game to begin purchasing properties for the Lake Earl Wildlife Area under the Keen-Nejedly Act of 1975. The Department of Fish and Game owns most of the area directly affected by the rising waters of Lake Earl in the Lake Earl Wildlife Area and the Tolowa Dunes State Park. Other properties are owned by various non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
s and private citizens. The Department of Fish and Game plans to purchase the remaining properties at fair market value
Fair market value
Fair market value is an estimate of the market value of a property, based on what a knowledgeable, willing, and unpressured buyer would probably pay to a knowledgeable, willing, and unpressured seller in the market. An estimate of fair market value may be founded either on precedent or...
, though some landowners feel that Fish and Game is managing the lagoon to flood their land and drive the price down.
The lagoon is also the site of a busy history, including Indian massacres, feuds between cattlemen and loggers, and eventually between government and private property advocates.
There is a native legend or metaphor of the Great Snake that abides in the lagoon and escapes to the ocean periodically. It goes when the Snake wants.
External links
- Ca. Dept of Water Resources http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/queryF?s=EFD Current water levels in the lagoon.