Lake Chabot
Encyclopedia
Lake Chabot is a man-made lake
covering 317 acres (1.3 km²) in Alameda County, California
. Part of the lake lies within Oakland
city limits, but most of it lies in unincorporated Castro Valley
, just east of San Leandro
. It was formed by the damming of San Leandro Creek
.
Anthony Chabot Regional Park
and Lake Chabot offer a number of activities including family and group camping, hiking, equestrian trails, bicycle trails, nature study, picnicking, golf, fishing, boat rental, a marina, a restaurant and boat tours of the lake.
in San Leandro Bay
, at the mouth of San Leandro Creek
near the Oakland International Airport
. Coastal surveys show the marsh appearing sometime between 1855 and 1895, though logging of the San Antonio Forest may have also played a role. Aside from sedimentation caused by normal earth-fill dam construction, much of the dam's clay core and soil overburden were washed away in a storm during construction in either 1874 or 1875.
Today, Arrowhead Marsh is one of the last remaining wetlands in the East Bay, and part of Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline
, while nearly all of the surrounding historic marsh has been covered with industrial development.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
covering 317 acres (1.3 km²) in Alameda County, California
Alameda County, California
Alameda County is a county in the U.S. state of California. It occupies most of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,510,271, making it the 7th most populous county in the state...
. Part of the lake lies within Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
city limits, but most of it lies in unincorporated Castro Valley
Castro Valley, California
Castro Valley is a census-designated place in Alameda County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, it is the fifth most populous unincorporated area in California, and the twenty-third in the United States...
, just east of San Leandro
San Leandro, California
San Leandro is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is considered a suburb of Oakland and San Francisco. The population was 84,950 as of 2010 census. The climate of the city is mild throughout the year.-Geography and water resources:...
. It was formed by the damming of San Leandro Creek
San Leandro Creek
San Leandro Creek is a year-round natural stream flowing along the east side of the range which comprises the Berkeley Hills and the San Leandro Hills, immediately east of Oakland. In the hills, it runs into Upper San Leandro Reservoir and then Lake Chabot, both manmade lakes lying north of the...
.
Description
The Lake Chabot dam was built in 1874-1875 as a primary source for water in the East Bay. The lake was closed to recreation for 91 years. Legislation passed in the 1960s opened the lake for controlled recreation uses. Currently, the lake serves as a standby emergency water supply. For this reason, visitors are asked to observe certain necessary regulations to keep the waters pure.Anthony Chabot Regional Park
Anthony Chabot Regional Park
Anthony Chabot Regional Park is a regional park on in the San Leandro Hills adjacent to Oakland, San Leandro and Castro Valley.The park is adjacent to Lake Chabot Regional Park and also to EBMUD's Upper San Leandro Reservoir. It houses a golfing club and a marksmanship club...
and Lake Chabot offer a number of activities including family and group camping, hiking, equestrian trails, bicycle trails, nature study, picnicking, golf, fishing, boat rental, a marina, a restaurant and boat tours of the lake.
Impact
Construction of the Lake Chabot dam is considered to be one of the main causes of the formation of Arrowhead MarshArrowhead Marsh
Arrowhead Marsh is a wetlands habitat made of tidal mud flats in Martin Luther King, Jr. Shoreline in Oakland, California. It is an important stop on the Pacific flyway and is habitat for important endangered species especially the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse....
in San Leandro Bay
San Leandro Bay
San Leandro Bay is a body of water in the San Francisco Bay. It is connected to the Oakland Estuary today, but was originally separated by land which formerly connected Alameda with Oakland. It is located along the east of the Oakland International Airport and Bay Farm Island. The principal...
, at the mouth of San Leandro Creek
San Leandro Creek
San Leandro Creek is a year-round natural stream flowing along the east side of the range which comprises the Berkeley Hills and the San Leandro Hills, immediately east of Oakland. In the hills, it runs into Upper San Leandro Reservoir and then Lake Chabot, both manmade lakes lying north of the...
near the Oakland International Airport
Oakland International Airport
Oakland International Airport , also known as Metropolitan Oakland International Airport, is a public airport located south of the central business district of Oakland, a city in Alameda County, California, United States...
. Coastal surveys show the marsh appearing sometime between 1855 and 1895, though logging of the San Antonio Forest may have also played a role. Aside from sedimentation caused by normal earth-fill dam construction, much of the dam's clay core and soil overburden were washed away in a storm during construction in either 1874 or 1875.
Today, Arrowhead Marsh is one of the last remaining wetlands in the East Bay, and part of Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline
Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline
Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline is a regional park located on the shores of the San Leandro Bay in Oakland, CA that is part of the East Bay Regional Parks system.- External links :...
, while nearly all of the surrounding historic marsh has been covered with industrial development.