Folsom Lake
| Folsom Lake | |
|---|---|
Folsom Lake in 2006
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| Location | Northern California |
| Coordinates | 38°44′N 121°08′W / 38.73°N 121.14°WCoordinates: 38°44′N 121°08′W / 38.73°N 121.14°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | American River |
| Primary outflows | American River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 11,450 acres (4,630 ha) |
| Water volume | 976,000 acre feet (1.204×109 m3) |
| Dam | Folsom Dam |
Folsom Lake is a reservoir on the American River in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California.
It is located within Placer, El Dorado, and Sacramento Counties. It is about 25 mi (40 km) northeast of Sacramento. The lake contains 11,500 acres of water. The lake has a surface elevation of 466 feet. There are 75 miles of undulated shoreline surrounding the lake. Folsom lake and the surrounding Folsom Lake State Recreation Area is one of the most visited parks in the California Park system.
The largest and most natural part of the lake area is the Peninsula which is approximately 1,465 acres.
The Folsom Lake reservoir is formed by Folsom Dam, built in 1955 to control and retain the American River. The dam and reservoir are part of the Folsom Project, which also includes the Nimbus afterbay reservoir and dam facilities. The Folsom Project, operated by the United States Bureau of Reclamation, is part of the Central Valley Project, a multipurpose project that provides flood control, hydroelectricity, drinking water, and water for irrigation.
When the dam was built it was designed to hold 976,000 acre feet (1,204,000 dam3) with a surface area of 11,450 acres (4,630 ha). The Dam is 1400 feet wide and 340 feet high, it is a concrete structure with approximately 9 miles of earth fill wing dams and dikes supporting its surrounding areas.
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Wikipedia