Shaver Lake

Shaver Lake
Shaver Lake
	Shaver Lake Shaver Lake
Location	Sierra National Forest; Fresno County, California
Coordinates	37°07′33″N 119°17′27″W / 37.12597°N 119.29075°W
Type	Reservoir
Primary inflows	Stevenson Creek
Primary outflows	Stevenson Creek; Big Creek
Catchment area	29.3 sq mi (76 km2)
Basin countries	United States
Managing agency	Southern California Edison
Surface area	2,177 acres (881 ha)
Average depth	19.9 m (65 ft)
Max. depth	54.9 m (180 ft)
Water volume	135,283 acre⋅ft (166,869 dam3)
Surface elevation	5,500 ft (1,700 m)
Settlements	Shaver Lake; Shaver Lake Heights
References	U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Shaver Lake

Shaver Lake is an artificial lake on Stevenson Creek, in the Sierra National Forest of Fresno County, California. At elevation 5,500 ft (1,700 m), several smaller streams also flow into the lake, and it receives water from the tunnels of Southern California Edison's Big Creek Hydroelectric Project.^[2] The town Shaver Lake is located on its south-west shore.

Background

In 1917 Southern California Edison purchased the lake which had been owned by the Fresno Flume and Lumber Company for transporting lumber down to the San Joaquin Valley.^[3] The lake was formed with the construction of Shaver Lake Dam, which was built by Southern California Edison and completed in 1927 (97 years ago) (1927). The 180-foot (55 m) dam was built in 50-foot (15 m) blocks, with a keyway to hold it in place and a 30-inch (76 cm) copper sheet to make it watertight. Its capacity is 135,283 acre⋅ft (166,869 dam³). Some water from the lake is discharged into Stevenson Creek for fish and other wildlife, but the rest is diverted to Big Creek, where it powers several hydroelectric plants in succession.

The area now covered by the lake was extensively logged before the dam was built, and an extensive log flume system several miles long was constructed to bring logs down the mountain. The town to this day maintains a nostalgic logging theme. Several buildings in town are in fact old, converted sawmills. Adjacent to the lake is Camp Edison, built and operated by SCE.^[4]

On August 13, 1943, Grace Craycroft (née Shaver), the daughter of pioneer lumberman Charles B. Shaver after whom the lake and town is named, drowned after suffering from a heart attack whilst attempting to save a 12-year-old boy from drowning.

The reality television shows Endurance: High Sierras and Capture were filmed at Shaver Lake in summer 2006 and summer 2013, respectively.^[5] The lake was also the filming location of the HBO Max reality show Karma during the summer of 2019.^[6]

The Shaver Lake Trophy Trout Project is a non-profit organization to educate the public on fishing and make Shaver Lake a fishing destination.

Camp Chawanakee, a Scout camp, is located on a peninsula on the southern shore of Shaver Lake. BSA troops from all over California attend each summer. The camp's facilities include canoeing, sailing, row boats, kayaking, swimming, hiking, rifle shooting, shotgun, archery, horse riding, rock wall, zip lining, fishing, crafts, and many other activities.

References

^ ^a ^b United States Environmental Protection Agency (June 1978). Report on Shaver Lake, Fresno County, California, EPA Region IX (Report). Retrieved June 25, 2022.
^ Big Creek Project Archived 2006-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
^ Shoup, Daniel (November 2012). "Big Creek Hydroelectric System, Bear Creek Diversion Dam" (PDF). Historic American Engineering Record. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 12. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
^ Camp Edison
^ McNary, Dave (May 27, 2015). "California Lake Location Lures Productions Despite Long-Term Drought". Variety. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
^ Gener, Wealthy (June 17, 2020). "Show biz coming to Shaver Lake: competition series filmed last year set to premier on HBO". KSEE. Retrieved June 20, 2020.

Department of Water Resources (2009). "Station Meta Data: Shaver Lake (SHV)". California Data Exchange Center. State of California. Retrieved 2009-04-01.