[Lake Map] [Water Levels] [The Dam] [Wildlife] [Eutrophication] [Photo Gallery]
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. A place
I could practice outdoor activities that would become a major part of my life.
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.
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-watcher, runners, dog walkers, or those simply taking a walk and enjoying
the scenery.
It has become an amazing local
place for kids to experience nature. A place to explore, a place to get wet,
dirty, muddy. A place to horse around, a place to "dig in" to nature. Kids need
a reason to care. A reason they can't get without actually having the
experience.
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.
Keep it Clean: 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. For trash that is not accessible from shore tap here to let me know where it is. Please help keep the lake and surrounding property beautiful and open for everyone to enjoy. Additional Links: Facebook Group: Lake Los Carneros City of Goleta: Lake Los Carneros The Joy of Float Tubing With Kids - Paul Rockwell Santa Barbara Independent: A Great Place for a Quiet Walk Contact: pete@lakeloscarneros.com
Lake Los Carneros Word Search Puzzles: 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 |