Santa Margarita Lake might quickly welcome swimmers for the primary time ever, however the prospect of turning the quiet California reservoir right into a leisure hotspot has already riled up fishermen and longtime lake customers.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Invoice 1253 on Aug. 31, eradicating a longstanding state restriction and making a path for San Luis Obispo County to permit body-contact recreation on the lake.
However don’t pack the sunscreen simply but.
The legislation takes impact Jan. 1, 2027, but county officers say swimming probably received’t start till summer season 2027 on the earliest.
Earlier than anybody can bounce in, officers should sort out well being, security, water-quality, infrastructure and operational necessities.
And a few locals are fearful the adjustments might wreck what they love concerning the place.
“It’s a nightmare,” Lakewood resident Mike Byrum instructed The Fresno Bee whereas hitching his boat to his truck Tuesday.
The largest concern for anglers is the lake’s shallow shoreline, the place bass and different fish stay, feed and spawn.
That’s additionally precisely the place swimmers and waders could be anticipated to congregate.
Fishermen worry heavy human exercise might scare fish into deeper water, harm spawning areas and make it a lot more durable to catch fish from the shore.
There’s additionally a broader worry that the lake’s peaceable ambiance might get swallowed up by crowds and noise.
Santa Margarita Lake is at present referred to as a relaxed, pristine pure sanctuary, and a few longtime customers fear that opening the water to extra recreation will destroy the quiet escape they depend on.
County officers are attempting to move off a few of these fears by making clear that not each water sport is abruptly getting the inexperienced gentle.
If the Board of Supervisors in the end approves physique contact, county workers envision lower-impact actions akin to swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, windsurfing, sail or foil boarding and body-contact fishing, together with float tubes and wading.
Water snowboarding, wakeboarding, wake browsing and tow-behind actions should not at present envisioned.
The change would give folks with out boats a solution to benefit from the lake past merely staying on shore.
Nonetheless, there are main hurdles.
The county should coordinate with the Metropolis of San Luis Obispo, which receives consuming water from the reservoir, together with County Public Well being, state businesses, the Sheriff’s Workplace and County Fireplace.
The State Water Sources Management Board’s Division of Ingesting Water should particularly approve physique contact at Santa Margarita Lake. Water testing and reporting necessities may also should be met.
“That is an thrilling risk for Santa Margarita Lake, however there may be nonetheless numerous work forward of us,” Public Works Director John Diodati stated. “Defending consuming water and public security will stay our first priorities.”
The Board of Supervisors will ultimately maintain a public assembly and vote on whether or not to broaden leisure entry.
