Lake Yosemite is an
artificial freshwater lake located approximately east of
Merced, California
Merced (; Spanish for "Mercy") is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California, United States, in the San Joaquin Valley. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a population of 86,333, up from 78,958 in 2010. Incorporated on April 1 ...
, in the rolling
Sierra Foothills.
UC Merced
The University of California, Merced (UC Merced) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university and Hispanic-serving institution located in Merced, California, and is the tenth and newest of the University ...
is situated approximately south of Lake Yosemite. The university is bounded by the lake on one side, and two canals (Fairfield Canal and Le Grand Canal) run through the campus.
Operation
Lake Yosemite is a
reservoir
A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation.
Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
built in 1888 for
irrigation
Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has been devel ...
purposes. It is currently owned and operated by Merced Irrigation District, which supplies irrigation water to farms in
Merced County
Merced County ( ), is a county located in the northern San Joaquin Valley section of the Central Valley, in the U.S. state of California.
As of the 2020 census, the population was 281,202. The county seat is Merced. The county is named after ...
. Recreation on the lake is managed by the Merced County Parks and Recreation Department.
Recreation
All
boating is permitted, including
jet ski
Jet Ski is the brand name of a personal watercraft (PWC) manufactured by Kawasaki, a Japanese company. The term is often used generically to refer to any type of personal watercraft used mainly for recreation, and it is also used as a verb to ...
s and
water skiing
Water skiing (also waterskiing or water-skiing) is a surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface on two skis or one ski. The sport requires suffic ...
. The lake is equipped with boat launches. Swimming is allowed only in certain designated areas. Swimming outside of these areas is strictly prohibited and could result in a citation. A kayak/SUP rental business (The Padyak Shack) is in operation and has a friendly and knowledgeable staff.
Onshore, shaded picnic areas, which feature picnic tables, barbecue pits, restrooms, and a small playground, are available.
Lake Yosemite Sailing Association
The lake is home to the Lake Yosemite Sailing Association (LYSA), which was founded in 1988 and currently has more than 90 members. The LYSA hosts club
sailboat races at Lake Yosemite Thursday evenings during the summer months and also organizes
sailing
Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, windsurfer, or kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (land yacht) over a chosen cou ...
trips to nearby lakes and
bays in California.
Lake Yosemite Sailing Association also conducts Youth Sail camps during the summer months, teaching and training the next generation of sailors.
Alleged paranormal phenomena
The lake's tower is said to be haunted by the "
Lady of the Lake
The Lady of the Lake (french: Dame du Lac, Demoiselle du Lac, cy, Arglwyddes y Llyn, kw, Arloedhes an Lynn, br, Itron al Lenn, it, Dama del Lago) is a name or a title used by several either fairy or fairy-like but human enchantresses in the ...
". According to the horror stories, the ghost has long flowing white hair and wears a long white gown. She is said to walk around the tower catwalk and on the lake's surface looking for her lost child or lover. The ghost has also been reported to walk along Old Lake Road, occasionally stepping into the path of oncoming traffic.
[Ghosts of America - Merced, California Ghost Tales Page 2](_blank)
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Photos
See also
* Lake McClure
* List of lakes in California
There are more than 3,000 named lakes, reservoirs, and dry lakes in the U.S. state of California.
Largest lakes
In terms of area covered, the largest lake in California is the Salton Sea, a lake formed in 1905 which is now saline. It occupie ...
* San Luis Reservoir
The San Luis Reservoir is an artificial lake on San Luis Creek in the eastern slopes of the Diablo Range of Merced County, California, approximately west of Los Banos on State Route 152, which crosses Pacheco Pass and runs along its north ...
References
FishersNet Fishin' Maps - Lake Yosemite
Merced Irrigation District - Irrigation Facts
Merced Irrigation District - Water Shed Map
USGS/Trails.com - Topographic Map Reservoir Features in Merced County, California
Footnotes
External links
Lake Yosemite Website
Lake Yosemite Sailing Association
Merced County Parks and Recreation Department
Merced Irrigation District
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