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[Water Levels] [The Dam] [Fishing] [Birding] [Wildlife] [Eutrophication] [Photo Gallery] [Lake Map] Originally a small natural wetland located in the heart of Goleta, California. What is now Lake Los Carneros was a small weed-choked pond that had little or no open water during the Summer and was filled with aquatic plants the rest of the year. In 1873 Sherman Stow built a 6 ft. tall earth-filled dam that doubled the storage capacity of the original natural wetland. In 1932 Sherman's son Edgar increased the height of the dam to 19 ft. and built the concrete portion of what is now known as the Lake Los Carneros Dam1.
In 1947 the dam was raised which increased the surface area to ~50 acres, the impound capacity to ~500 acre-feet, and raised the spill elevation to ~58 feet above sea level. Only a couple feet lower than the current crest elevation of the dam. In the mid-60s the spill elevation was lowered to ~48 feet above sea level as a safety precaution in the anticipation of residential development of the surrounding land1.
Lowering the spill elevation created the current ~12 ft. freeboard section above the concrete portion of the dam and decreased the surface area (when full) to somewhere between 202 and 301 acres.
In 1963 additional ranch lands including the lake and surrounding area were purchased for golf course and residential development. This never took place. The lake and 20 acres surrounding it were donated to the County of Santa Barbara as recreational open space.
The lake and surrounding land remained undeveloped until 1974, when approximately 153 acres, including the Stow House and grounds, was acquired by the county for use as a regional park. The Master Plan was adopted in 1987 with the intention that the lake and surrounding lands were to be preserved as wildlife habitat and recreational open space for activities such as fishing, hiking, observing wildlife, educational activities and social events.
There are indications around the lake during low water level periods that suggest the water level was increased by ~13 ft. with Edgar Stow's building of the dam as stated in the 1999 Updated Management Plan. In the mid-2010's I had the opportunity to see things I hadn't seen in over 20 years. Things such as tree stumps along the what would have been the shoreline of the original pond and that the entire South East section of the lake becomes dry at these levels. In addition, the "drain" surfaces when the water level is ~12 ft. below spill level. Click here for a structure map of the lake.
Welcome to my Lake Los Carneros website. I started bass fishing at the lake on September 25, 1983. At the time it seemed like most of the local people I would talk to either didn't know about the lake or thought of it as a "polluted mud hole". I saw it differently. I saw it as a beautiful slice of nature within walking distance from my home.
There were a few others that saw it the way I did. Perhaps those left over from the 70's when the lake was "healthier" due to better rainfall than in the 80's. There were some who fished the lake from the typical, usually yellow, inflatable rafts and the occasional canoe. But every so often I would see someone fishing from some kind of little one man raft. In the fall of 1984 I stumbled on an article in Field and Stream magazine about "Belly Boats".
After reading the article I knew this would be the best way to bass fish at Lake Los Carneros. I started saving my money and in the summer of 1985 I bought my first float tube.
At a Santa Barbara Sport Fishing Club Holiday party in 2002 I was introduced to Neal Taylor. He was the speaker for the evening and while what he said was captivating, what he did was life changing. His casting abilities made me realize that target casting is what fishing had always really been about. It's the reason I can float around the lake making hundreds of casts with only the hope of catching something and still have fun. It's the reason I can float down a river making hundreds of casts with only the hope of catching something and still have fun. It's the reason I can stand in the backyard and flip a frog lure into a bucket and still have fun.
On several occasions over the years there have been plans or ideas to develop the property but except for a few benches, a fence along the dam, and a walking bridge on the north end of the lake (currently closed), it has pretty much stayed the same since my first visit.
Today the "polluted mud hole" image is pretty much gone. There is a wide variety of local residents and visitors who enjoy Lake Los Carneros including photographers, painters, bird-watchers, runners, dog walkers, or those simply taking a walk and enjoying the scenery.
It is also a great place for kids to experience nature from a hands on perspective. A place to explore, a place to get wet, dirty, muddy. Find bugs, turtles, lizards, snakes. A place to horse around, a place to "dig in" to nature right in the middle of their own home town.
Early memories: One of my fondest early memories of Lake Los Carneros was on April 17, 1984. It was a warm and sunny Spring day. Like most days I couldn't wait to get home from school so I could walk over to the lake. My grandparents were in town visiting so my grandfather walked to the lake with me. I can still clearly see him sitting on the edge of the dam watching me. I was standing on the "drain" near the base of the dam that is about 12 ft. below the spill level of the lake. Suddenly, while reeling in my lure to make another cast it stops dead. After a good fight I catch the largest bass I had caught since I started bass fishing a few years earlier.
Seasonal Changes and Water Levels: Seasonal changes are usually pretty mild in Goleta. But even these mild changes bring different things to see at the lake. Most of the year the foliage surrounding the lake is mostly a dry brown. But after a little rain the land becomes draped in a beautiful green blanket. Spring is the time to watch swallows as they dance in the air while collecting water for their nests. Like tiny delta-wing fighter jets in a dog fight, they expertly dart in, out and around each other with incredible precision.
Early Summer is the time to see baby ducks, coots, and other water birds. Summer through Winter is feeding time for fish-eating birds. Look for other fish hunters in addition to the egrets and herons which are regularly seen at the lake. By this time the baby fish from the spawn in the Spring have grown to a perfect size for ospreys, terns, kingfishers, cormorants, and white pelicans. Of course, these fish-eating birds rely on a healthy fish population which can be negatively effected during periods of drought and falling water levels.
The water level at the lake will vary depending on rainfall. The changing water level brings changes that are not only seasonal. Low water levels also expose new, muddy beaches that attract varieties of birds that feed along the shoreline. High water years are a great time to spot bullfrogs hiding in the duckweed.
In 1985, after two years of visiting Lake Los Carneros I discovered a large number of dead fish floating around the shoreline of the lake. I was devastated and thought maybe the rumors of it being a "polluted mud hole" were true. Of course, that is not the case. Lake Los Carneros is eutrophic which basically means it receives nutrients from urban run-off that can lead to increased algae growth. I have seen many fish kills since the one in 1985.
What factors lead to a fish kill at Lake Los Carneros? The simple answer is low oxygen levels caused by an algal bloom usually following periods of below average rainfall. Like an aquarium the lake needs a water change every so often.
Leave No Trace: If you visit or fish at the lake please be courteous to other visitors, do not disturb the birds or other wildlife, and do your best to leave the property in a better condition than you found it. Clean up all of your trash and any other litter you find. Especially items such as plastic bags, kite string, fishing line, 6-pack rings, etc. Tap here to report trash and lost fishing gear that is not accessible from shore. Thank you for helping keep Lake Los Carneros beautiful. [Water Levels] [The Dam] [Fishing] [Birding] [Wildlife] [Eutrophication] [Photo Gallery] [Lake Map] |
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Additional Links: Facebook Group: Lake Los Carneros City of Goleta: Lake Los Carneros Neal Taylor Nature Center at Lake Cachuma The Joy of Float Tubing With Kids - Paul Rockwell Santa Barbara Independent: A Great Place for a Quiet Walk Contact: pete@lakeloscarneros.com References: 1Updated Management Plan - Santa Barbara County Parks Department (1999)
The Distribution of Duckweed in a Small Southern California Lake: An
Experimental Approach (1970) 2Dams Within the Jurisdiction of the State of California (2010)* 3Dams Within Jurisdiction of the State of California (1962)* Dams Within Jurisdiction of the State of California (2022) 4Ancestors West - December 1990 - Page 117 5Hydrology and Water Quality - Background Report No. 24 - Draft 4 (May 2004)* - Can not find updated link. *Broken Link |
