Lake Success, lake in California

Success Lake is a reservoir on the Tule River near Porterville, California, formed in 1961 when Success Dam was completed. The 156-foot earth dam is owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. California State Route 190 crosses the lake on its only bridge, a straight concrete span with two visible piers standing in the water.

Success Dam was completed in 1961, forming the reservoir on the Tule River near Porterville. Building it displaced several families, including the Wilcox, Lewis, Templeton and Kaufman families, and required relocating a cemetery and removing Bartlett Park and Porterville Beach. In 1999 surveys found the dam could fail in an earthquake, so the lake was drawn down to 28,000 acre-feet in 2004; later study lowered the assessed risk and it was refilled to 65,000 acre-feet.

The name comes from Success Dam, completed in 1961, and the reservoir is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A 1,499-acre wildlife refuge protects part of the northwest shoreline, a noted bird-watching site in Tulare County where American white pelicans and Canada geese are often seen. Trails give hikers access to the refuge.

California State Route 190 crosses the lake on its only bridge, the concrete span visible in the photograph. Rocky Hill Campground has non-electric sites, a boat launch ramp and a picnic area; day-use Bartlett Park has picnic shelters and a playground. There are no designated beaches, though informal swim areas lie nearby. Boats are limited to 5 mph from dusk to dawn, so water-skiing and jet-skiing are barred at night.

The 1,499-acre wildlife refuge on the northwest shoreline is described in the sources as one of the best bird-watching sites in Tulare County. American white pelicans and Canada geese are often seen on the water, while mallards, grebes and coots shelter near the shore; bald eagles have been observed overhead. Trails give hikers access to the refuge.