Ruth Reservoir is the only reservoir on 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...

's Mad River

Mad River (California)

The Mad River is a river in upper Northern California. It flows for in a roughly northwest direction through Trinity County and then Humboldt County, draining a watershed into the Pacific Ocean north of the college town of Arcata near Arcata-Eureka Airport in McKinleyville...

. The reservoir and adjacent community were named for early settler Ruth McKnight. The reservoir was formed by construction of R. W. Matthews Dam in 1962 primarily for domestic and industrial water supply to Arcata

Arcata, California

-Demographics:-2010 Census data:The 2010 United States Census reported that Arcata had a population of 17,231. The population density was 1,567.4 people per square mile...

, Eureka

Eureka, California

Eureka is the principal city and the county seat of Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census....

, and other communities around Humboldt Bay

Humboldt Bay

Humboldt Bay is a natural bay and a multi-basin, bar-built coastal lagoon located on the rugged North Coast of California, United States entirely within Humboldt County. The regional center and county seat of Eureka and the college town of Arcata adjoin the bay, which is the second largest enclosed...

. The reservoir was not designed for flood control storage, but limited December, 1964, flooding to 51 percent of 1955 flow at Forest Glen

Mad River, California

Mad River is a census-designated place in Trinity County, California. Mad River is located in the in southern part of the county. Mad River sits at an elevation of . The ZIP Code is 95552 and Mad River is inside area code 530...

 (on California State Route 36

California State Route 36

State Route 36 is an east–west state highway in the U.S. state of California that is routed from U.S. Route 101 in Humboldt County to U.S. Route 395 just east of Susanville in Lassen County. The portion of SR 36 travelling past Lassen Volcanic National Park and Lake Almanor is part of the...

) and 90 percent of the 1955 flood flow at Arcata. A two megawatt hydro-electric plant with two 1-megawatt turbine generators is powered by water released from the reservoir. The plant generates 5 million kwh during an average water year. Dry-weather releases flow down the Mad River from the reservoir to be recovered by Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District's Ranney collector

Ranney collector

A Ranney collector is a patented type of radial well used to extract water from an aquifer with direct connection to a surface water source like a river or lake...

s near Essex, California

Essex, California

Essex is a small unincorporated town in San Bernardino County, California. Essex lies on Old National Trails Highway - part of the old Route 66 - just south of Interstate 40 in the Mojave Desert.-History:...

.

Recreation

The summer resort

Resort

A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....

 community of Ruth

Ruth, California

Ruth is a census-designated place in Trinity County, California. Ruth is located in the southern portion of the county. The community - and adjacent Ruth Lake - was named after Ruth McKnight, daughter of settlers. The ZIP code is 95526. The community is inside area code 707...

developed to expand recreational use of the reservoir. There are 174 cabin lease sites surrounding the reservoir. Registration and inspection is required for all watercraft prior to launching on Ruth Lake. Trailered and motorized boats may be launched only at the marina or at the Ruth Recreational Campground,