Fountaingrove Lake

Infobox lake
lake_name = Fountaingrove Lake
image_lake = Fountaingrovelakelead.jpg
caption_lake =
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location = Sonoma County, California
coords = coord|38|29|12|N|122|43|10|W|region:US-CA_type:waterbody|display=inline,titlegnis|1799345|Fountaingrove Lake]
type = reservoir
inflow = Piner Creek
outflow = Piner Creek
catchment = convert|0.52|sqmi|ha|0|abbr=on|lk=on
basin_countries = United States
length =
width =
area = convert|33|acre|ha|abbr=on|lk=on
depth =
max-depth =
volume = convert|427|acre.ft|m3|-3|abbr=on|lk=on
residence_time =
shore =
elevation = convert|495|ft|m|0|abbr=on [gnis|1799345|Fountaingrove Lake]
islands = 1
cities = Santa Rosa

Fountaingrove Lake is a reservoir in the city of Santa Rosa, California, United States. [ [http://www.placenames.com/us/p1799345/ Fountaingrove Lake, Sonoma County, California] ] ["Santa Rosa Quadrangle", Fifteen minute series, USGS Quadrangle Map, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC (1958)] Formed by the Fountaingrove Damcite web|url=http://damsafety.water.ca.gov/docs/Juris%20(A-G)10-07.pdf|title=Dams Within the Jurisdiction of the State of California|accessdate=2008-01-03] , the lake is fed from the east by Piner Creek, which is also the lake's sole outlet.

Fountaingrove Dam is an earthen dam built in 1953. It is convert|38|ft|m|0|abbr=on high, convert|500|ft|m|-1|abbr=on long, and convert|15|ft|m|0|abbr=on wide.

In 1985, a private country club known as the Fountaingrove Golf and Athletic Club built a championship 18-hole golf course [ [http://www.fountaingrovegolf.com/custom/home05/index03.htm Fountaingrove Golf and Athletic Club Official Site] ] centered on Fountaingrove Lake. [ [http://www.varennaccrc.com/page1.html Varenna Project Retirement Community at Fountaingrove Lake] ] The golf course was designed by Ted Robinson Sr.

The dam and half the lake cite web|url=http://ci.santa-rosa.ca.us/City_Hall/City_Council/2007/070501pdf/Item11.1.pdf|title=Agenda Item #11.1 for Council Meeting of May 8, 2007|accessdate=2008-01-03] is owned by the city of Santa Rosa.

Ecology

Fountaingrove has significant aquatic as well as upland biota, and is noted for being a habitat of the Western pond turtle, "Actinemys marmorata", a "Species of Special Concern". [PDF| [http://ci.santa-rosa.ca.us/pworks/other/SW/MasterPlanDOCUMENT.pdf City of Santa Rosa Creeks Master Plan] |1.00 MiB ] [cite web |accessdate=2007-03-09|url=http://www.fws.gov/sacramento/es/spp_concern.htm
title=Species of Special Concern
publisher=Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]

Within the lake at its verges are significant densities of wetland plants; moreover, at upland locations there are many native trees, particularly Coast live oak, "Quercus agrifolia" and Garry oak, "Quercus garryana". Fishing has historically been conducted within the lake, although golf course and other urban development around the perimeter has reduced these practices. [ [http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/scbbbc/vpost?id=1159630 Sonoma county Bass Fishing Club] ]

Environmental factors

The microclimate at Fountaingrove Lake is a mild Mediterranean climate typical of southern and central Sonoma County. Approximately 29.2 inches (74.2 cm) of precipitation occur at Fountaingrove Lake annually, almost entirely in the form of rainfall. The record high and low temperatures for this locale are 110 °F (43 °C) and 16 °F (-9 °C) respectively. [ [http://www.wunderground.com/NORMS/DisplayNORMS.asp?AirportCode=KSTS&SafeCityName=Santa_Rosa&StateCode=CA&Units=none&IATA=STS Historic meteorological data for Santa Rosa, California] ] Air quality is generally good since prevailing winds are from the northwest and intercept little industry as the winds travel from the Pacific Ocean. Sound levels have increased steadily with the growth of Santa Rosa, with the principal local sound source being Fountaingrove Parkway; sound levels from vehicles ascending the steep grades of that arterial can attain levels of 55 to 58 dBA at the environs of Fountaingrove Lake.

Current issues

A convert|500000|USgal|kl|-2|lk=on|abbr=on|adj=on water storage tank was proposed near the southern end of Fountaingrove Lake; the city of Santa Rosa has approved this project to add to the municipal drinking water supply, subject to erosion control measures to protect Fountaingrove Lake from excessive siltation. [ [http://ci.santa-rosa.ca.us/default.aspx?PageId=255&NewsId=50 Minutes of Santa Rosa City Council Meeting October 10, 2000] ] A substantial retirement community known as "Varenna" is under development as of 2007 on the ridgetop at the southeastern perimeter of Fountaingrove Lake. The "Varenna" project had not made wetlands mitigation environmental filings in a timely manner with the California Regional Water Quality Control Board regarding certain filling of perimeter wetlands of Fountaingrove Lake associated with its development project; therefore, additionally off-site mitigation was required of the project to compensate the people of California for the wetlands destruction at Fountaingrove Lake. On site mitigation measures include extensive erosion protection for cut slopes and installation of bioswales.

References

ee also

*Miwok
*Tule
*Wetland