3 Facts about Bass Lake Water Level

With the peak season approaching, we are receiving a lot of calls here at the Pines Resort. Our resort, although privately owned, has become a hub of information about the area and its activities. While in Winter, the most frequently asked questions evolve around weather (snow) and road conditions, in the summer we are getting a lot of questions asking about water level and temperature.

Bass Lake sees hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. While a lot of them treat it as a hub for their Yosemite adventures, nearly a half comes specifically for the Lake and water activities. Bass Lake is classified as a “warm water” lake with its temperature reaching 80 degrees in summer months.

History

Did you know that a hundred years ago, Bass Lake wasn’t even a lake? It was a lush meadow, with a little creek (Willow Creek) running through it and surrounded by pine covered hills. It was inhabited first by, Chuckchansi Indians, later by Mono Indians. This large meadow, was named Crane Valley, after flocks of, what they thought, were cranes living in the Valley (they were acually blue herons). At the end of the 19th century, a power company came up with an idea to use the water of Willow Creek to generate power for the residents of San Joaquin Valley.  In 1901 they started clearing the valley and built a dam, that reached 145ft. The Reservoir was later named Bass Lake, after fish that was used to replace the original fish, that was lost due to polution caused by the lumber company.

This article presents 3 Facts about the water level in Bass Lake.

Fact 1: The Resort has no control over the water level in the Lake

Bass Lake is currently owned by Pacific Gas & Electric Company and regulated by government agencies. The Resort has no authority over the lake, how full it gets and when they let the water out. Sadly we also do not operate the imaginary valve that would adjust the water level as we wish. Bass Lake, even though most of us see it as a place to have fun, has a few important roles:

• Flood control
• Drinking water supply
• Power generation
• Farmland irrigation
• Recreational use

Fact 2: Bass Lake water level fluctuates throughout the year

Water level in Bass Lake fluctuates throughout the year. To provide flood control, water in the Lake is being let out, starting around Labor Day to 50% capacity by November. This is to generate power, to irrigate the farmland but also to make room for the spring runoff.

PG&E does not allow the Lake to fill up more than 10ft below full (3367ft) until after April 1st. That’s when they install the boards on the dam and the lake is allowed to fill up again.

Bass Lake in March 2016

Bass Lake in May 2016

Fact 3: The Lake is never empty or closed for activities

Bass Lake shoreline on a low water year (July 2013)

..

Bass Lake shoreline on a high water year (August 2019)

Water in Bass Lake is never let out more than 22.5ft below the full lake level. With that, if visiting in winter there will be more beach areas and some docks will be out of water on the shallow ends of the Lake, but the Lake will never be empty. Back in 2007 due to the dam project and severe drought following after, the lake has noted the lowest level to date (max for the year was 3369ft; normally it’s 3377ft), but that was just an isolated situation.

Many times, PG&E agrees to delay the board removal on the dam to allow the lake to remain fuller longer and therefore extending recreation season.

Sources: www.basslakeca.com and USFS.