Nimbus Dam Recreation Area, Recreation area and park in Sacramento County, US
Nimbus Dam Recreation Area is a park and recreation area in Sacramento County, California, on the American River about 14 km south-west of Roseville. The terrain around it is flat, at roughly 39 m above sea level, and the surrounding land is mostly grassland. The Nimbus Dam holds back the river at the site.
The Nimbus Dam was built in the mid-20th century to control the flow of the American River and generate electricity. Over the following decades, the land around it gradually became a public recreation area.
The area takes its name from Nimbus Dam, the downstream companion to Folsom Dam, and the land around it is managed as a public recreation area in Rancho Cordova. Visitors fish the American River below the dam and use the open ground for picnics; the site sits about 39 metres above sea level in Sacramento County.
The area is easiest to reach by car, and parking can fill up on weekends and hot summer days. Arriving in the morning helps secure a spot and makes the most of the cooler part of the day.
The Nimbus Dam sits at the base of Folsom Lake and acts as a second dam downstream from the larger Folsom Dam, forming a two-step water control system. This means the water is regulated twice before it continues down the American River.
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