| Lake Thomas A Edison | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Lake Thomas A Edison  Lake Thomas A Edison | |
| Location | Fresno County, California[1] |
| Coordinates | 37°22′58″N118°58′34″W / 37.38278°N 118.97611°W /37.38278; -118.97611[1] |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Mono Creek, Cold Creek |
| Primary outflows | Mono Creek[2] |
| Catchment area | 88 square miles (230 km2)[2] |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 3.5 miles (5.6 km) |
| Max. width | 1 mile (1.6 km) |
| Surface area | 1,878 acres (760 ha)[2] |
| Average depth | 67 feet (20 m) |
| Water volume | 125,000 acre-feet (154,000,000 m3)[2] |
| Shore length1 | 13 miles (21 km)[3] |
| Surface elevation | 7,648 feet (2,331 m)[1] |
| 1 Shore length isnot a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Thomas A Edison (also known asThomas A. Edison Lake[1] andEdison Lake) is areservoir in theSierra National Forest and inFresno County,California. It is in the Sierra Nevada, and near thePacific Crest Trail.
The reservoir's waters are impounded byVermilion Valley Dam (National ID CA00441), which was completed in 1954 (71 years ago) (1954).[2] The reservoir and dam are part of theBig Creek Hydroelectric Project.
The reservoir discharges into Mono Creek,[2] a tributary of the South ForkSan Joaquin River. However, some of its water is diverted toHuntington Lake by means of the Ward Tunnel.[4]
| Vermilion Valley Dam | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Location | Fresno County, California |
| Coordinates | 37°22′12″N118°59′14″W / 37.37000°N 118.98722°W /37.37000; -118.98722 |
| Opening date | 1954 |
| Owner(s) | Southern California Edison |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Earthen |
| Impounds | Mono Creek[2] |
| Height | 167 feet (51 m)[2] |
| Length | 4,234 feet (1,291 m)[2] |
| Elevation at crest | 7,650.5 feet (2,331.9 m)[2] |
| Width (crest) | 20 feet (6.1 m)[2] |
| Dam volume | 4,200,000 cubic yards (3,200,000 m3)[2] |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Lake Thomas A Edison |
| Total capacity | 125,000 acre-feet (154,000,000 m3)[2] |
| Catchment area | 88 square miles (230 km2)[2] |
| Maximum length | 3.5 miles (5.6 km) |
| Maximum width | 1 mile (1.6 km) |
Vermilion Valley Dam is an earthen dam 4,234 feet (1,291 m) long and 167 feet (51 m) high, with 8 feet (2.4 m) of freeboard.Southern California Edison owns the dam.[2]
Located inSierra National Forest near thePacific Crest Trail, Lake Thomas A Edison is the centerpiece of Vermilion Valley Resort and Vermillion Campground, which support boating, camping, fishing, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and horseback riding.[3][5]
The lake is three hours away by car fromFresno. TakeState Route 168 east to Huntington Lake, head east on Kaiser Pass Road. The road crosses Kaiser Pass (elevation 9,175 feet (2,797 m)) and closes during the winter months. TheUnited States Forest Service does not recommend it for buses, large motor homes, or vehicles towing trailers.[6]
A ferry crosses the lake twice a day (Inactive in 2021 due to extreme low levels of water - travel service to/from the trailhead can be arranged through Vermillion Valley Resort or hikers may follow a trail along the north side of the lake for trail access), linking Vermilion Valley Resort with theJohn Muir Wilderness trailhead and providing access to and from theJohn Muir Trail andPacific Crest Trail.[6]
The lake was named after American inventorThomas Edison to mark the 75th anniversary of his invention of theincandescent light bulb.[7] The dam was named after the valley it flooded, noted for itsreddish soil.[6]
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