Mammoth Pool Reservoir is a
reservoir on the
San Joaquin River in the
Sierra Nevada
The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...
, within the
Sierra National Forest in
California. It creates the border between
Fresno County and
Madera County
Madera County (), officially the County of Madera, is a county at the geographic center of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 156,255. The county seat is Madera.
Madera County comprises the Madera, CA Metr ...
. It is about north-northeast of
Fresno.
Hydroelectric power
The reservoir is formed by
Mammoth Pool Dam
Mammoth Pool Dam is a hydroelectric dam located on the San Joaquin River in the southern Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, about northeast of Fresno. It forms Mammoth Pool Reservoir and lies within the Sierra National Forest. The dam ...
, an earth-fill
dam completed in 1960. It was built by
Southern California Edison for
hydroelectricity production. The dam's power plant can produce up to 190 megawatts. The dam, reservoir and
power plant are part of the
Big Creek Hydroelectric Project
The Big Creek Hydroelectric Project is an extensive hydroelectric power scheme on the upper San Joaquin River system, in the Sierra Nevada of central California. The project is owned and operated by Southern California Edison (SCE). The use and reu ...
, perhaps the most extensive hydroelectric system in the world.
Recreation
The reservoir is also a recreation area. Activities at the lake include, swimming, fishing, camping and boating.
The reservoir is closed to the public during the month of May and the first half of June to allow migrating deer to swim across the reservoir so as to spend the summer in the
Sierra Nevada
The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...
highlands.
The reservoir is inaccessible following the first snowstorm, usually occurring in November, as the access road is not
snowplowed.
2020 forest fire
Road access to a campground beside the reservoir was blocked by the
Creek Fire on 5 September 2020, at which point officials recommended that campers wade into the reservoir for their own protection. Many were later evacuated by helicopter.
Rund 1.000 Camper durch Brände in Kalifornien abgeschnitten
orf.at, 5. September 2020, retrieved 5. September 2020. (German)
See also
*List of dams and reservoirs in California
Following is a list of dams and reservoirs in California in a sortable table. There are over 1,400 named dams and 1,300 named reservoirs in the state of California.
Dams in service
:''Please add to this list from the below sources.''
Former ...
* List of lakes in California
References
External links
SCE Big Creek HydroAerial Image at Panoramio
{{authority control
Sierra National Forest
Reservoirs in Fresno County, California
Reservoirs in Madera County, California
Landforms of the Sierra Nevada (United States)
San Joaquin River
Reservoirs in California
Reservoirs in Northern California