Lake Palmdale
Encyclopedia
Lake Palmdale is an artificial lake completed in 1924 along with the nearby Littlerock Reservoir and the Littlerock Dam. It is part of the California State Water Project
and is fed by the California Aqueduct
. It is located in the city of Palmdale
near the city's southern edge, in the small Anaverde Valley between the San Andreas Fault
and the base of Mount Tenhi.
agriculture by providing a stable and consistent water source for the local farmers. At the time of its completion, agriculture was the primary economic driver in the Palmdale area. This water source was needed due to the rain shadow
desert
effect that the San Gabriel Mountains
have on the Antelope Valley, located in the Mojave Desert
. Today the lake serves as the primary water source for the Palmdale Water District, the city's public water utility, and provides water for more than 200,000 people who live in the area. It also is used to generate electricity.
. The lake is 1.05 miles (1.69 km) in diameter at its greatest point (northwest to southeast), by 0.54 miles (0.87 km) in width (southwest to northeast). The lake has a surface area of 586.3 acre (237.3 ha) and contains 2 small islands.
-like dock
that extends about .25 miles (0.4 km) into the lake from which members of the Palmdale Fin & Feather Club may use to fish from or take a small boat onto the lake. There are also many other small docks that run along the southwestern coast of the lake, also for use by the Fin & Feather Club. Use of Palmdale Lake for recreation is generally reserved for members of the Club. The nearby Littlerock Reservoir is a Los Angeles County operated park and is open to the public and can
be used for boating, water skiing, fishing, and camping. The California Aqueduct is also open for fishing to the general public as long as they have a valid fishing license from the California Department of Fish and Game
.
Rainy weather is limited almost completely to the months between October and May. Local rain is not relied on for maintaining the water level. This is done by water flow from the California Aqueduct, which collects and transports rainwater and snowmelt from the mountains of Northern California.
The alignment of the local hills and the earthquake fault creates a sort of wind tunnel
effect on the lake during the winter months. Although the lake is high elevation and winter temperatures drop frequently below freezing 32 °F (0 °C), there has been no known freezing over of the lake in its history.
California State Water Project
The California State Water Project, commonly known as the SWP , is the world's largest publicly built and operated water and power development and conveyance system. The SWP was designed and is operated by the California Department of Water Resources...
and is fed by the California Aqueduct
California Aqueduct
The Governor Edmund G. Brown California Aqueduct is a system of canals, tunnels, and pipelines that conveys water collected from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and valleys of Northern- and Central California to Southern California. The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the...
. It is located in the city of Palmdale
Palmdale, California
Palmdale is a city located in the center of northern Los Angeles County, California, United States.Palmdale was the first community within the Antelope Valley to incorporate as a city on August 24, 1962; 47 years later, voters approved creating a charter city in November, 2009. Palmdale is...
near the city's southern edge, in the small Anaverde Valley between the San Andreas Fault
San Andreas Fault
The San Andreas Fault is a continental strike-slip fault that runs a length of roughly through California in the United States. The fault's motion is right-lateral strike-slip...
and the base of Mount Tenhi.
History
Formerly called Harold Reservoir, Lake Palmdale was completed in 1924 to assist the local Antelope ValleyAntelope Valley
The Antelope Valley in California, United States, is located in northern Los Angeles County and the southeastern portion of Kern County, California, and constitutes the western tip of the Mojave Desert...
agriculture by providing a stable and consistent water source for the local farmers. At the time of its completion, agriculture was the primary economic driver in the Palmdale area. This water source was needed due to the rain shadow
Rain shadow
A rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems, casting a "shadow" of dryness behind them. As shown by the diagram to the right, the warm moist air is "pulled" by the prevailing winds over a mountain...
desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
effect that the San Gabriel Mountains
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains Range is located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range lies between the Los Angeles Basin and the Mojave Desert, with Interstate 5 to the west and Interstate 15 to the east...
have on the Antelope Valley, located in the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
. Today the lake serves as the primary water source for the Palmdale Water District, the city's public water utility, and provides water for more than 200,000 people who live in the area. It also is used to generate electricity.
Geography
Lake Palmdale is 2,980 feet (908.3 m) above sea level and is ringed by the hills of the San Andreas Fault and Mount Tenhi, except for a small pond on the lake's east side called Una Lake from which it is separated by the Palmdale Dam and Sierra HighwaySierra Highway
Sierra Highway or El Camino Sierra is a road in Southern California, United States. El Camino Sierra refers to the full length of a trail formed in the 19th century, rebuilt as highways in the early 20th century, that ran from Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe following parts of modern State Route 14, U.S....
. The lake is 1.05 miles (1.69 km) in diameter at its greatest point (northwest to southeast), by 0.54 miles (0.87 km) in width (southwest to northeast). The lake has a surface area of 586.3 acre (237.3 ha) and contains 2 small islands.
Recreation
Lake Palmdale is regularly stocked of fish and has a small pierPier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
-like dock
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
that extends about .25 miles (0.4 km) into the lake from which members of the Palmdale Fin & Feather Club may use to fish from or take a small boat onto the lake. There are also many other small docks that run along the southwestern coast of the lake, also for use by the Fin & Feather Club. Use of Palmdale Lake for recreation is generally reserved for members of the Club. The nearby Littlerock Reservoir is a Los Angeles County operated park and is open to the public and can
be used for boating, water skiing, fishing, and camping. The California Aqueduct is also open for fishing to the general public as long as they have a valid fishing license from 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...
.
Weather
Lake Palmdale has very hot, dry summers, breezy springs and autumns, and frigid, highly windy winters.Rainy weather is limited almost completely to the months between October and May. Local rain is not relied on for maintaining the water level. This is done by water flow from the California Aqueduct, which collects and transports rainwater and snowmelt from the mountains of Northern California.
The alignment of the local hills and the earthquake fault creates a sort of wind tunnel
Wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air moving past solid objects.-Theory of operation:Wind tunnels were first proposed as a means of studying vehicles in free flight...
effect on the lake during the winter months. Although the lake is high elevation and winter temperatures drop frequently below freezing 32 °F (0 °C), there has been no known freezing over of the lake in its history.