Lake Success (California)
Encyclopedia
Lake Success is a lake
near Porterville, California
on the Tule River
at 36.06°N 118.92°W. It is formed by Success Dam and has a capacity of 82000 acre.ft. The 156 feet (48 m) tall earth dam is owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its construction was completed in 1961. The project's primary purpose is flood
control, but the lake also provides water for irrigation
and recreation
.
, written by Larry Niven
and Jerry Pournelle
, fragments of a comet strike the Earth, causing massive tidal waves to destroy most of the planet's coastal cities. Los Angeles
is completely destroyed, and the collapse of dams throughout California causes the San Joaquin Valley
to become an inland sea. The collapse of Success Dam is witnessed by two of the characters. After the disasters subside, an enclave of civilization forms in the fictional "Silver Valley", located slightly east or northeast of Springville
, just north of the Middle Fork of the Tule River
. The lake is currently drained.
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,...
near Porterville, California
Porterville, California
Porterville is a city in the San Joaquin Valley, in Tulare County, California, United States. Porterville's population was 54,165 at the 2010 census. The city's population grew dramatically as the city annexed many properties and unincorporated areas in and around Porterville. Not included in the...
on the Tule River
Tule River
The Tule River, also called Rio de San Pedro or Rio San Pedro, is a river in Tulare County in the U.S. state of California. The river originates in the Sierra Nevada east of Porterville and consists of three forks, North, Middle and South. The North Fork and Middle Fork meet above Springville. The...
at 36.06°N 118.92°W. It is formed by Success Dam and has a capacity of 82000 acre.ft. The 156 feet (48 m) tall earth dam is owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its construction was completed in 1961. The project's primary purpose is flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
control, but the lake also provides water for irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
and recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
.
In fiction
In the science fiction novel Lucifer's HammerLucifer's Hammer
Lucifer's Hammer is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, first published in 1977. It was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1978. A comic book adaptation was published by Innovation Comics in 1993....
, written by Larry Niven
Larry Niven
Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
and Jerry Pournelle
Jerry Pournelle
Jerry Eugene Pournelle is an American science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog....
, fragments of a comet strike the Earth, causing massive tidal waves to destroy most of the planet's coastal cities. Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
is completely destroyed, and the collapse of dams throughout California causes the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
to become an inland sea. The collapse of Success Dam is witnessed by two of the characters. After the disasters subside, an enclave of civilization forms in the fictional "Silver Valley", located slightly east or northeast of Springville
Springville, California
Springville is a census-designated place in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 934 at the 2010 census, down from 1,109 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Springville is located at ....
, just north of the Middle Fork of the Tule River
Tule River
The Tule River, also called Rio de San Pedro or Rio San Pedro, is a river in Tulare County in the U.S. state of California. The river originates in the Sierra Nevada east of Porterville and consists of three forks, North, Middle and South. The North Fork and Middle Fork meet above Springville. The...
. The lake is currently drained.