Lake Isabella

Lake Isabella
	Aerial view of the lake
Location:	Kern County , California , USA
Tributaries:	North Kern River , South Kern River
Drain:	Kern River
Larger places nearby:	Isabella , Bakersfield
	California , United States
Coordinates	35 ° 40 ′ 0 ″ N , 118 ° 25 ′ 38 ″ W Coordinates: 35 ° 40 ′ 0 ″ N , 118 ° 25 ′ 38 ″ W
	Data on the structure
Construction time:	1953
	Data on the reservoir
Altitude (at congestion destination )	58 m
Water surface	45 km²
Particularities:	Currently only 60% usable

The Lake Isabella is a reservoir , located in Kern County of the US state of California is. The main arm of the Kern River coming from the north , also called North Fork Kern River , and the South Fork Kern River coming from the east unite in it . The Kern River drains the lake in a westerly direction behind a dam built in 1953 , the Isabella Dam. The area of the lake is around 45 square kilometers. The body of water is mainly used for the water supply of the nearby town of Bakersfield and other surrounding settlements, whereby Lake Isabella is also the target of a moderate number of tourists. Hotels and campsites are available in the area.

The region's climate is often characterized by the extremes of the respective seasons. The reason for this is the location in the mountains far away from the California coast, which lacks the balancing effect of the sea. In summer, temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius can easily be reached, while in winter there is also snowfall and the temperature drops below freezing point.

The current volume of the lake is only around 60 percent of its total capacity, as studies have concluded that if the water level is too high, there is some instability of the dam. In addition, the lake is on a fault , which means there is also a risk of earthquakes. However, this fault was considered inactive prior to the dam's construction.

In March 2013, a project to stabilize the dam was presented to the public in order to create greater security for the surrounding region. The plan, which has now also been officially approved, provides, among other things, for an increase in the dam and additional areas for flooding in the event of flooding . Completion is scheduled for autumn 2018, with construction costs of around 400 to 600 million US dollars . According to official plans, construction is to start in autumn 2014.