Castaic Lake
Encyclopedia
Castaic Lake is an artificial lake on Castaic Creek
formed by Castaic Dam
, in northwestern Los Angeles County, California
, near the town of Castaic
. The 320000 acre.ft lake with a surface elevation of approximately 1500 feet (457.2 m) above sea level is the terminus of the West Branch of the California Aqueduct
, though some comes from the 154 square miles (398.9 km²) watershed
above the dam. The aqueduct
water comes from Pyramid Lake
through a pipeline and is used to power Castaic Power Plant
, on the northern end of the lake. In addition, the lake is the lower reservoir in a pumped-storage hydroelectric
system. Water is pumped back up to Pyramid Lake at night, when electricity
demand and cost is low. During the day, when prices and demand are high, the water is let back down. Water from the lake is distributed throughout the northern portion of the Greater Los Angeles Area
. Some water is released into Castaic Lagoon below the dam, which drains into Castaic Creek. The creek flows south until it meets the Santa Clara River
, a few miles west of Santa Clarita
.
Castaic Lake is a de facto replacement reservoir for the St. Francis Dam
, which was located in San Francisquito Canyon
, the next canyon to the east. The St. Francis Dam collapsed in 1928, with the resulting flood killing over 400 people in the Santa Clara River Valley
.
series. Many of the action scenes were recorded here.
Castaic Creek
Castaic Creek is a stream in northern Los Angeles County, California. It is a tributary of the Santa Clara River.-Castaic Lake:Castaic Dam on the creek forms Castaic Lake, but most of the water comes from the West Branch of the California Aqueduct, also called the State Water Project. The lake is...
formed by Castaic Dam
Castaic Dam
Castaic Dam is a dam near the city of Castaic, California. It is an earth-fill dam, though its surfaces are covered with boulders and cobble-sized rocks to prevent erosion. Although located on Castaic Creek and forming Castaic Lake, Castaic Creek provides little of its water. The lake is the...
, in northwestern Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
, near the town of Castaic
Castaic, California
Castaic, California, is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, north of Santa Clarita and a few miles from Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park. It is approximately 39 miles from the downtown Los Angeles Civic Center. As of the 2010...
. The 320000 acre.ft lake with a surface elevation of approximately 1500 feet (457.2 m) above sea level is the terminus of the West Branch of 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...
, though some comes from the 154 square miles (398.9 km²) watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
above the dam. The aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
water comes from Pyramid Lake
Pyramid Lake (California)
Pyramid Lake is an artificial lake formed by Pyramid Dam on Piru Creek, near Castaic, California. The reservoir lies on the border between the Angeles National Forest and the Los Padres National Forest in the northwestern portion of Los Angeles County....
through a pipeline and is used to power Castaic Power Plant
Castaic Power Plant
Castaic Power Plant is a seven unit pumped-storage hydroelectric plant, operated by LADWP, which provides peak load power from the falling water on the West Branch of the California State Aqueduct...
, on the northern end of the lake. In addition, the lake is the lower reservoir in a pumped-storage hydroelectric
Pumped-storage hydroelectricity
Pumped-storage hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric power generation used by some power plants for load balancing. The method stores energy in the form of water, pumped from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher elevation. Low-cost off-peak electric power is used to run the pumps...
system. Water is pumped back up to Pyramid Lake at night, when electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
demand and cost is low. During the day, when prices and demand are high, the water is let back down. Water from the lake is distributed throughout the northern portion of the Greater Los Angeles Area
Greater Los Angeles Area
The Greater Los Angeles Area, or the Southland, is a term used for the Combined Statistical Area sprawled over five counties in the southern part of California, namely Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County and Ventura County...
. Some water is released into Castaic Lagoon below the dam, which drains into Castaic Creek. The creek flows south until it meets the Santa Clara River
Santa Clara River (California)
The Santa Clara River is approximately long, located in southern California in the United States. It drains an area of the coastal mountains north of Los Angeles. The Santa Clara is one of the largest river systems along the coast of Southern California and one of only a few remaining river...
, a few miles west of Santa Clarita
Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States and the twenty-fourth largest city in the state of California. The 2010 US Census reported the city's population grew 16.7% from the year 2000 to 176,320 residents. It is located about northwest of downtown...
.
Castaic Lake is a de facto replacement reservoir for the St. Francis Dam
St. Francis Dam
The St. Francis Dam was a concrete gravity-arch dam, designed to create a reservoir as a storage point of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. It was located 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, California, near the present city of Santa Clarita....
, which was located in San Francisquito Canyon
San Francisquito Canyon
San Francisquito Canyon is a canyon created by the erosion of the Sierra Pelona Ridge of the San Gabriel Mountains within the Transverse Range of California, USA by San Francisquito Creek. At its head is the San Francisquito Pass which the early routes between Los Angeles and the San Joaquin...
, the next canyon to the east. The St. Francis Dam collapsed in 1928, with the resulting flood killing over 400 people in the Santa Clara River Valley
Santa Clara River Valley
The Santa Clara River Valley is a valley that runs from east to west through Ventura County and northwest Los Angeles County, California...
.
In popular culture
Castaic Lake was one of the main filming locations for the Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
series. Many of the action scenes were recorded here.