Whiskeytown Lake
Encyclopedia
Whiskeytown Lake is a lake
in Shasta County
in northwestern California
, about 8 miles (12.9 km) west of Redding
. The lake is in the Whiskeytown Unit of the Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area
. It has a capacity of 241100 acre.ft and is formed by Whiskeytown Dam on Clear Creek
. Additional water comes from Lewiston Reservoir, supplied by the Trinity River
, by the Clear Creek Tunnel, which comes from the bottom of Trinity Lake.
There are also recreational activities available at the lake, including camping
, swimming, boating
, water skiing
and fishing
. However, personal water craft
have been banned from the lake. Fishing opportunities include rainbow and brown trout; largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass; and kokanee salmon.
Whiskeytown is favored by locals because of the 30 feet (9.1 m) visibility of its waters, and wildlife that surround the lake. There are numerous breeding pairs of bald eagles that nest on the lake's shores. Sharing the habitat are black bears, mountain lions, blacktail deer, turtles and raccoons, among other wildlife. It is mandated that the lake be at full capacity by Memorial Day, and remain full until Labor Day.
. Its purpose is to provide flood
control, water for irrigation
and electricity generation.
Before entering the lake, the water generates hydroelectricity
at the 154 MW Judge Francis Carr Powerhouse. Whiskey Creek also empties into the lake. A large portion of the lake's water leaves through the Spring Creek Tunnel, which delivers the water to the 180-MW Spring Creek Powerhouse, whose tailrace empties into Keswick Reservoir. The 117-MW Keswick Powerhouse at Keswick Dam empties into the Sacramento River
.
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,...
in Shasta County
Shasta County, California
Shasta County is a county located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The county occupies the northern reaches of the Sacramento Valley, with portions extending into the southern reaches of the Cascade Range. As of the 2010 census, the population was 177,223, up from 163,256...
in northwestern 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...
, about 8 miles (12.9 km) west of Redding
Redding, California
Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...
. The lake is in the Whiskeytown Unit of the Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area
Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area
The Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area is a United States National Recreation Area in northern California. It has a total of of land, which is divided into three units, Whiskeytown, Shasta and Trinity. The recreation area was established in 1965 by the United States Congress. The...
. It has a capacity of 241100 acre.ft and is formed by Whiskeytown Dam on Clear Creek
Clear Creek (California)
Clear Creek is a tributary of the Sacramento River. It is long and is the first major tributary downstream of the Shasta Dam. The creek originates between Shasta Lake and Trinity Lake and drains into Whiskeytown Lake, which is formed by Whiskeytown Dam. Past the lake, the creek continues south...
. Additional water comes from Lewiston Reservoir, supplied by the Trinity River
Trinity River (California)
The Trinity River is the longest tributary of the Klamath River, approximately long, in northwestern California in the United States. It drains an area of the Coast Ranges, including the southern Klamath Mountains, northwest of the Sacramento Valley...
, by the Clear Creek Tunnel, which comes from the bottom of Trinity Lake.
There are also recreational activities available at the lake, including camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
, swimming, boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
, water skiing
Water skiing
thumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
. However, personal water craft
Personal water craft
A personal water craft , also called water scooter, is a recreational watercraft that the rider rides or stands on, rather than inside of, as in a boat....
have been banned from the lake. Fishing opportunities include rainbow and brown trout; largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass; and kokanee salmon.
Whiskeytown is favored by locals because of the 30 feet (9.1 m) visibility of its waters, and wildlife that surround the lake. There are numerous breeding pairs of bald eagles that nest on the lake's shores. Sharing the habitat are black bears, mountain lions, blacktail deer, turtles and raccoons, among other wildlife. It is mandated that the lake be at full capacity by Memorial Day, and remain full until Labor Day.
Whiskeytown Dam
The earth-fill dam is 263 feet (80 m) tall and was completed in 1963. It is owned and operated by the United States Bureau of ReclamationUnited States Bureau of Reclamation
The United States Bureau of Reclamation , and formerly the United States Reclamation Service , is an agency under the U.S...
. Its purpose is to provide 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, 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 electricity generation.
Before entering the lake, the water generates hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
at the 154 MW Judge Francis Carr Powerhouse. Whiskey Creek also empties into the lake. A large portion of the lake's water leaves through the Spring Creek Tunnel, which delivers the water to the 180-MW Spring Creek Powerhouse, whose tailrace empties into Keswick Reservoir. The 117-MW Keswick Powerhouse at Keswick Dam empties into the Sacramento River
Sacramento River
The Sacramento River is an important watercourse of Northern and Central California in the United States. The largest river in California, it rises on the eastern slopes of the Klamath Mountains, and after a journey south of over , empties into Suisun Bay, an arm of the San Francisco Bay, and...
.