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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Elevation 380 m

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Location: Riverside County, California, United States

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