Lake Natoma
| Lake Natoma | |
|---|---|
 A photograph of Lake Natoma, looking towards Folsom, California. | |
| Location | Sacramento County, California |
| Coordinates | 38°39′15″N 121°11′33″W / 38.654031°N 121.192497°WCoordinates: 38°39′15″N 121°11′33″W / 38.654031°N 121.192497°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | American River |
| Primary outflows | American River |
| Catchment area | 1,898 sq mi (4,920 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Average depth | 46 ft (14 m) |
| Water volume | 8,760 acre feet (10,810 dam3) |
| Shore length1 | ~10 mi (16 km) |
| Surface elevation | 128 ft (39 m) |
| Settlements | Folsom, California |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Natoma is an intermediate lake along the American River, located between Folsom Dam and Nimbus Dam in Sacramento County, in the U.S. state of California. The lake is located within the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area.
It is a recreational lake for rowing, kayaking and swimming. Powerboats are permitted with a 5 mph "no wake" restriction. Lake Natoma is also home to the Sacramento State Aquatic Center, and regularly hosts West Coast College Rowing Championships, the Pac-12 Conference rowing championships, and, every four years, the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships. The Lake Natoma Four Bridges Half Marathon is held each October at the lake.
Lake Natoma includes the historic Negro Bar area in Folsom, the site of a gold rush era African-American mining camp.
The Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park overlooks Lake Natoma in the city of Folsom. It is a California State Historical site, preserving an early hydroelectric power station.
A paved cycling and jogging trail encircles the lake along with unpaved equestrian trails. The Folsom South Canal Trail also begins at the lake. Several parking lots and boat launching ramps are also located around the lake.
See also
References
- Nimbus Dam fact sheet - United States Bureau of Reclamation
- Saiki, M.K. (2004). Summary of total mercury concentrations in fillets of selected sport fishes collected during 2000-2003 from Lake Natoma, Sacramento County, California [Data Series 103]. Reston, VA: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.