DWR’s Pyramid Lake Reopens Saturday

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) will reopen Pyramid Lake to public recreation use on Saturday, April 5, 2008, following a 45 day shutdown for sediment removal.

After drawing down the lake about 23 feet, DWR civil maintenance crews removed 32,000 cubic yards of sediment that had accumulated around the United States Forest Service (USFS) boat dock over a period of 43 years.

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department and USFS will now be able to navigate to and from the boat dock during normal low water levels and the boating public will have a new launch ramp boarding float.

Pyramid Lake

Located in the Angeles and Los Padres National Forests about 60 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Pyramid Lake and Dam were completed in 1973 as part of the massive State Water Project (SWP), the largest state-built multipurpose water project in the United States. The name comes from a pyramid-shaped rock carved out by engineers building old Highway 99. Today, Interstate 5 passes by the lake and the 18,500 square foot Vista del Lago Visitors Center.

Pyramid Lake stores water for delivery to Los Angeles and other south state coastal cities. It also provides regulated storage for Castaic Powerplant and flood protection along Piru Creek.

The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the State Water Project, provides dam safety and flood control and inspection services, assists local water districts in water management and water conservation planning, and plans for future statewide water needs.

Contact the DWR Public Affairs Office for more information about DWR’s water activities.