Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Donnell Lake - Tuolumne County, California





Visited on October 2, 2017 on my journey from Sacramento to Owens Valley Conservation Camp near Bishop, CA to proctor a Drinking Water Operator Exam.  Donnell Lake is a 401 acre alpine lake located in the Sierra Mountains northeast of Sonora, CA off of Highway 108.  The lake is at an elevation of 4,921 feet above sea level.  Donnell is located in a steep rocky canyon on the Middle Fork of the Stanislaus River, approximately 5 miles upstream from Beardsley Lake.  I stopped at the a great little roadside park that has a super walking path with an overlook of the canyon and view of the lake.  In 1955 the lake was formed with the construction of the 291-foot high concrete arch Donnell Dam.  The dam has a length of 750 feet at its crest and a large storage capacity.  The reservoir also generates hydroelectric power and supplies water to urban areas in the Sacramento Central Valley.
The great little paved walking path from the roadside parking and rest area down to the overlook.


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