Pine Flat Lake is an

artificial lake 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 ...

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 ...

in the

Sierra Nevada foothills :''See Sierra Nevada for general information about the mountain range in the United States.'' The ecology of the Sierra Nevada, located in the U.S. states of California and Nevada, is diverse and complex: the plants and animals are a significant ...

of eastern

Fresno County, California Fresno County (), officially the County of Fresno, is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 1,008,654. The county seat is Fresno, the fifth-most populous city in Cali ...

on the western north-south border to the Sierra- and

Sequoia National Forest Sequoia National Forest is located in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains of California. The U.S. National Forest is named for the majestic Giant Sequoia (''Sequoiadendron giganteum'') trees which populate 38 distinct groves within the boundar ...

s, about east of

Fresno Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, maki ...

. The lake is managed by the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

(USACE) and is open to boaters, campers & hikers. The lake was formed by the construction of

Pine Flat Dam Pine Flat Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Kings River (California), Kings River in the Central Valley (California), Central Valley of Fresno County, California United States. Situated about east of Fresno, California, Fresno, the dam is hi ...

on the Kings River in 1954 by the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

, and has a storage capacity of . Although it was primarily designed for

flood control Flood control methods are used to reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters."Flood Control", MSN Encarta, 2008 (see below: Further reading). Flood relief methods are used to reduce the effects of flood waters or high water level ...

, the project also provides for

irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow Crop, crops, Landscape plant, landscape plants, and Lawn, lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,00 ...

and

groundwater recharge Groundwater recharge or deep drainage or deep percolation is a hydrologic process, where water moves downward from surface water to groundwater. Recharge is the primary method through which water enters an aquifer. This process usually occurs in ...

, recreation, and with the completion in 1984 of the Jeff L. Taylor Pine Flat Power Plant, generation of 165 Megawatts hydroelectric power.

Recreation and Wildlife

The lake is a popular regional tourist destination for water-based

recreation Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasur ...

. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District manages the land around the lake and offers several recreation areas and wildlife management areas. The following recreation and wildlife areas help lake visitors experience Pine Flat Lake: *Deer Creek Recreation Area and Pine Flat Lake Marina (the marina is privately operated under an agreement with USACE). *Island Park Recreation Area and Campground *Lakeview Recreation Area *Edison Point Wildlife Area (open to hunting and wildlife viewing) *Trimmer Springs Recreation Area and Campground *Sycamore Creek Wildlife Area (open to hunting and wildlife viewing) *Kirch Flat Recreation Area and Campground (managed by Sierra National Forest) The fisheries are managed and stocked by the

California Department of Fish and Wildlife The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), formerly known as the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), is a state agency under the California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Fish and Wildlife manages and protect ...

, common fish species include: large and smallmouth

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

spotted bass The spotted bass (''Micropterus punctulatus''), also called spotty, or spots in various fishing communities, is a species of North American freshwater fish belonging to the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of the order Perciformes. It is noted f ...

rainbow trout The rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') is a species of trout native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead (sometimes called "steelhead trout") is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coasta ...

, king (chinook) and kokanee

salmon Salmon () is the common name for several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family (biology), family Salmonidae, which are native to tributary, tributaries of the ...

catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, ...

crappie Crappies () are two species of North American freshwater fish of the genus ''Pomoxis'' in the family Centrarchidae (sunfishes). Both species of crappies are popular game fish among recreational anglers. Etymology The genus name ''Pomoxis'' ...

and

bluegill The bluegill (''Lepomis macrochirus''), sometimes referred to as "bream", "brim", "sunny", or "copper nose" as is common in Texas, is a species of North American freshwater fish, native to and commonly found in streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and ...

. Anglers can fish for native rainbow trout in the upper Kings River, which is a special management area that encourages natural reproduction of wild trout without the planting of domestic stock. Anglers must have a valid state fishing license and comply with all California Department of Fish and Wildlife rules & regulations. Hunting is permitted outside of developed recreation areas with bow and arrow or shotgun only. Enforcement of rules and regulations are performed by USACE

Park Rangers A ranger, park ranger, park warden, or forest ranger is a law enforcement person entrusted with protecting and preserving parklands – national, state, provincial, or local parks. Description "Parks" may be broadly defined by some systems in thi ...

Game Wardens A conservation officer is a law enforcement officer who protects wildlife and the environment. A conservation officer may also be referred to as an environmental technician or technologist, game warden, forest ranger, forest watcher, forest gu ...

with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and deputies of the Fresno County Sheriff's Department.

References

* *

External links

*
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pine Flat LakePine Flat Lake Recreation - Recreation.gov
camping reservations and information
Sierra National ForestSequoia National Forest
{{Authority control Reservoirs in Fresno County, California Kings River (California) Lakes of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Reservoirs in Northern California

Recreation and Wildlife

See also

References

External links