A BRIEF HISTORY OF LAKE ALMANOR
Long before Lake Almanor, during the days of Big Meadows, sportsmen were lured to the area to escape the valley heat and by the excellent fishing provided by the North Fork of the Feather River. Visitors to the area would seek accommodations in places such as the Meadow View Hotel, Old Prattville and Bunnell's Resort, their locations now being covered by the waters of Lake Almanor.
Long before Lake Almanor, during the days of Big Meadows, sportsmen were lured to the area to escape the valley heat and by the excellent fishing provided by the North Fork of the Feather River. Visitors to the area would seek accommodations in places such as the Meadow View Hotel, Old Prattville and Bunnell's Resort, their locations now being covered by the waters of Lake Almanor.
The Almanor name is derived from Guy Earl’s (developer) three daughters' names, Alice, Martha and Elinor.
In the late 1800’s Julius Howells recognized that by damming the deep canyon at the south end of Big Meadows a large lake would be created with hydroelectric power generation potential. After considerable land acquisition developers started dam construction in 1910.
Early workings at the dam site in Canyon Dam.
A short while later construction ceased due to technical challenges and a shortage of concrete. The dam site was moved up the canyon and the design was re-engineered. By 1914 the dam was completed, and Big Meadows began to fill. Lake capacity was 220,000-acre feet.
Lake Almanor looking Northeast. Dakasu Island and the tip of the peninsula can be seen center.
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Lake Almanor looking Southeast. The peninsula is seen in the center.
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The mid 1920’s saw the dam size increase bringing the lake capacity to 880,000 acre feet. Later in the 1930’s and again in the 1960’s the dam’s length and height were increased giving us today’s capacity on 1,300,000 acre feet.
Early marina at Lassen View Camp.
Sportsmen continued to come to the area once known as Big Meadows for the same reasons as their predecessors, but now they fished the waters of Lake Almanor. Visitors had even more lodging options and stayed at establishments such as Lake Almanor Inn, Wilson's Camp, Lassen View Camp, Durbins Motel Resort, Davis's Lake Resort and Big Springs Resort.
Big Springs Resort
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Wilson's Camp Prattville
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Like many reservoirs, fishery management in Lake Almanor has been and will continue to be a dynamic and evolving process. Over the years fish stocked into Lake Almanor by CDFW have included Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Chum Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Smallmouth Bass and Sacramento Perch. The strongest fisheries that have persisted have been those for Rainbows, Browns, Chinooks and Smallmouth.
A 10.5 lb. Lake Almanor Brown from back in the day.
The fisheries of Lake Almanor are continued and sustained by both stocking efforts from CDFW and the Almanor Fishing Association as well as natural reproduction. The waters and bio-diversity of Lake Almanor have been and will continue to be famous for growing larger than average sport fish, a trend that will continue for many years into the future.
A vintage Lake Almanor Catch.
Thanks to Marilyn Quadrio, Director of the Chester Museum, and Tim I Purdy for their research and contributions.
Photo Credit UC Davis Special Collections
Steve Fleming, AFA.
Bryan Roccucci, AFA
Photo Credit UC Davis Special Collections
Steve Fleming, AFA.
Bryan Roccucci, AFA
