Visited on 3/9/2018
after a work assignment giving State exams to inmates at Mount Bullion
Conservation Camp I traveled west of Mariposa, California to one of the smaller
urban lakes on my list. Lake Yosemite is
a 500 acre artificial freshwater lake located approximately 5 miles east of
Merced, California, in the rolling Sierra Foothills. The University of California
- Merced is situated next to it just to the south of Lake Yosemite. The
university is bounded by the lake on one side, and two canals (Fairfield Canal
and Le Grand Canal) run through the campus.
The University had several construction cranes and it appeared that they
were constructing several new buildings on the campus currently.
Lake Yosemite at an
elevation of 253 feet above sea level is a reservoir built in 1888 for
irrigation purposes. It is currently owned and operated by Merced Irrigation
District, which supplies irrigation water to farms in Merced County. Recreation on the lake is managed by the
Merced County Parks and Recreation Department.
The lake is home to
the Lake Yosemite Sailing Association (LYSA), which was founded in 1988 and
currently has more than 90 members. The LYSA hosts sailboat races at Lake
Yosemite Thursday evenings during the summer months and also organizes sailing
trips to nearby lakes and bays in California.
The lake's tower is
said to be haunted by the "Lady of the Lake". According to the horror
stories, the ghost has long flowing white hair and wears a long white gown. She
is said to walk around the tower catwalk and on the lake's surface looking for
her lost child or lover. The ghost has also been reported to walk along Old
Lake Road, occasionally stepping into the path of oncoming traffic.
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