Lake Van Arsdale
Encyclopedia
Lake Van Arsdale, also known as Van Arsdale Reservoir, is a reservoir on the Eel River
in California
, part of the Potter Valley Project. Located in Mendocino County
, 4 miles (6.4 km) north of the town of Potter Valley, California, the reservoir supplies water to users as far south as Marin County
.
The reservoir is formed by the Cape Horn Dam, also known as Van Arsdale Dam, which impounds the waters of the Eel River. A portion of its water (154000 acre.ft per year, on average) is diverted southward through an aqueduct tunnel to a powerhouse in Potter Valley, where it drives a turbine capable of generating up to 9.4 MW of electric power. Diverted water then descends by means of the Powerhouse Canal and the East Branch Russian River
to Lake Mendocino
, which supplies the Sonoma County Water Agency
. The non-diverted flow continues down the Eel to its mouth at the Pacific Ocean
near Fortuna
.
took over project in 1930 and has owned the dam ever since.
Eel River (California)
The Eel River is a major river system of the northern Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. Approximately 200 miles long, it drains a rugged area in the California Coast Ranges between the Sacramento Valley and the ocean. For most of its course, the river flows northwest, parallel to the...
in 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...
, part of the Potter Valley Project. Located in Mendocino County
Mendocino County, California
Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...
, 4 miles (6.4 km) north of the town of Potter Valley, California, the reservoir supplies water to users as far south as Marin County
Marin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
.
The reservoir is formed by the Cape Horn Dam, also known as Van Arsdale Dam, which impounds the waters of the Eel River. A portion of its water (154000 acre.ft per year, on average) is diverted southward through an aqueduct tunnel to a powerhouse in Potter Valley, where it drives a turbine capable of generating up to 9.4 MW of electric power. Diverted water then descends by means of the Powerhouse Canal and the East Branch Russian River
Russian River (California)
The Russian River, a southward-flowing river, drains of Sonoma and Mendocino counties in Northern California. With an annual average discharge of approximately , it is the second largest river flowing through the nine county Greater San Francisco Bay Area with a mainstem 110 miles ...
to Lake Mendocino
Lake Mendocino
Lake Mendocino is a large reservoir in Mendocino County, California, northeast of Ukiah. It covers and was formed by the construction of Coyote Dam in 1958. The lake and dam provide flood control, water conservation, hydroelectric power, and recreation.-Recreation:Lake Mendocino is administered by...
, which supplies the Sonoma County Water Agency
Sonoma County Water Agency
The Sonoma County Water Agency is the government agency responsible for managing the water resources of Sonoma County, California...
. The non-diverted flow continues down the Eel to its mouth at the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
near Fortuna
Fortuna, California
Fortuna is a city in western-central Humboldt County, California, United States. The population was 11,926 at the 2010 census, up from 10,497 at the 2000 census. The city lies on the northeast shore of the Eel River , and is on U.S...
.
History
In 1905, the Snow Mountain Water and Power Company started building the Potter Valley Project. Cape Horn Dam was completed in 1907, and the original project became operational in 1908. Pacific Gas and Electric CompanyPacific Gas and Electric Company
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company , commonly known as PG&E, is the utility that provides natural gas and electricity to most of the northern two-thirds of California, from Bakersfield almost to the Oregon border...
took over project in 1930 and has owned the dam ever since.
Cape Horn Dam
Cape Horn Dam is a gravity dam 96 feet (29.3 m) high, 515 feet (157 m) long, and 10 feet (3 m) thick, containing 40000 cubic yards (30,582.2 m³) of material. Its crest is 1519 feet (463 m) above sea level.See also
- Lake PillsburyLake PillsburyLake Pillsbury is an artificial lake in the Mendocino National Forest of Lake County, California, created from the waters impounded from the Eel River by Scott Dam. Elevation is with of shoreline and covering . Activities in the Lake Pillsbury Recreation Area include powerboating, fishing,...
- List of reservoirs and dams in California
- List of lakes in California