Clear Lake Reservoir - Modoc County, California

Visited on 6/17/18 returning from a weekend adventurous camping trip where we met up with Jeff’s brother, Brian and his two nieces Hannah and Lauren up at Lava Beds National Monument near Tule Lake, CA.  On our way home we drove down into the Tule Valley and navigated our way on dirt rutted roads with storm clouds looming overhead, through cow pastures for miles until we found Clear Lake Reservoir.  This reservoir is located on the eastern side of the Tule Valley about 19 miles from Tule Lake, CA on U.S. Forest Land in the Modoc National Forest at an elevation of 4,498 above sea level.  It is a very large 24,800 acre reservoir that is very shallow.
 
The Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1911, this 46,460 acre refuge consists of approximately 20,000 acres of open water surrounded by upland habitat of bunchgrass, low sagebrush, and juniper. Small, rocky islands in the lake provide nesting sites for the American white pelican, doublecrested cormorant, and other colonial nesting birds. The upland areas serve as habitat for pronghorn antelope, mule deer, and sage grouse. Except for limited waterfowl and pronghorn antelope hunting during the regular California State seasons, the refuge is closed to public access to protect fragile habitats and to reduce disturbance to wildlife. The Clear Lake Reservoir is the primary source of water for the agricultural program of the eastern half of the Klamath Basin with water levels regulated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

For the wildlife enthusiast, a visit to the Klamath Basin Refuges at any season is a voyage of never–ending discovery. Year to year and season to season the dynamic ebb and flow of wildlife is a process of constant change. Over 490 wildlife species have been observed in the basin including 353 species of birds. Fall and spring bring the drama of one to three million ducks, geese and swans using refuge wetlands as a vital stopover in their annual migrations. Winter bald eagle numbers peak in mid February with basin populations ranking as the largest recorded in the contiguous United States. Thousands of wetland nesting birds also raise their young on the six Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges.

Located in Modoc County, California near the Oregon border, Clear Lake Reservoir stands statuesque among the surrounding hills and plains. The original earthfill dam was built across the Lost River in 1910 and replaced with a new concrete dam in 2002. Though the reservoir was first created to reduce water flow into the Tule Lake wetlands and store irrigation water for agricultural land, the area has since become home to one of the most important wildlife refuges in the state. Because of its large surface area (25,760 acres maximum) and relatively shallow depths, the reservoir has a high rate of evaporation during warm weather. Clear Lake Reservoir should not be confused with Clear Lake, a natural lake located in Lake County, California.

Modoc National Forest commands 1,654,392 acres of northeastern California real estate, housing within its boundaries the Warner Mountains, from the Cascade Range, and a forest bed that was covered by lava millions of years ago. In the lower elevations, visitors to the forest will find bitterbrush and curl-leaf mahogany, which slowly give way to a sprinkling of aspen, incense cedar, ponderosa pine, red fir, and white fir in higher elevations. At the forest's highest elevations, you'll find lodgepole and western white pines, as well as some startlingly beautiful vistas from your vantage point on top of the forest's summit.

Wind your way along nature trails that were once traveled by covered wagons and their brave passengers, their wheel ruts still carved into the canyon rock. Take a hike along a section of the famous Oregon Trail, experiencing the forest in almost the same state as those settlers many years ago. Walk the paths of the Native Americans and settlers who trapped, hunted, and fished for their living. Catch a glimpse of early 20th century life in Tom Smith's Cabin, now listed on the National Register of historic places. As you hike through the Modoc National Forest, you'll not only have a front row seat to the area's diverse wildlife, but you'll take a trip back in time.