Name: Lake Mathews Reservoir Dam
Rating: 2

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United States

California

Riverside County

Lake Mathews Reservoir Dam

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Places to see

United States

California

Riverside County

Lake Mathews Reservoir Dam

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Location: Riverside County, California, United States

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Top cycling routes to Lake Mathews Reservoir Dam

1. Lake Mathews Reservoir Dam to Overlook Hill loop

14.4km

00:58

130m

Easy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Easy

2. Lake Mathews Dam to Grand Boulevard Historical Racing Ring

49.8km

03:24

760m

Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Expert

Tips

🕊️ 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒓

April 9, 2022

Lake Mathews reservoir is both the terminus of the 242-mile aqueduct from the Colorado River, and a distribution center, sending that water, via gravity, from its elevation of 1,500 feet, around the region. Lake Mathews is completely fenced off. And decades of efforts to secure public access have been denied by its owner, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

The special status of Lake Mathews is the product of its history. The area, known as Cajalco Canyon, was mostly orchards when the Met identified it as the perfect elevated spot to build a reservoir for Colorado River water that could flow downhill into Southern California. But one landowner, who believed the property contained tin that would make him rich, waged an epic legal fight against eminent domain. The Met eventually secured the land — completing a dam in 1939 and starting water deliveries in 1941 — but the legal cost is one reason why the Water District hasn’t shared its hard-won lake with the public. pe.com/2018/03/18/stay-away-from-lake-mathews-californians

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Details

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Elevation 380 m

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Today

Monday 22 September

31°C

20°C

0 %

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Max wind speed: 2.0 km/h

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Location: Riverside County, California, United States

Lake Mathews Reservoir Dam

1. Lake Mathews Reservoir Dam to Overlook Hill loop

2. Lake Mathews Dam to Grand Boulevard Historical Racing Ring

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