Sweetwater Authority, which supplies drinking water to roughly 200,000 customers in Chula Vista and surrounding communities, learned last month that its main reservoir contains levels of a toxic industrial chemical that could require expensive treatment or necessitate decommissioning the reservoir entirely.
San Diego County’s most popular reservoir recreation areas offer special holiday season events through 2024 and host winter activities during the region’s cooler months.
“Lights at the Lake” at the Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve features 100,000 lights and three dozen displays nightly through December 31. Photo: Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve
Enjoy San Diego County’s mild weather and spend Thanksgiving at Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve. Campground space is available. A three-night minimum stay is required, but you won’t want to leave.
Santee Lakes hosts its annual “Lights at the Lake” drive-through holiday show from Sunday, December 1, to December 31. The show will be moved to the Campground in 2024 for a brilliant camping experience.
Visitors will enjoy three dozen beautiful displays with over 100,000 lights to make holidays bright. You can walk through the tunnel of lights or use a golf cart. Hours are 5 p.m. through 8 p.m. (closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). You must buy tickets in advance. More information about Lights at the Lake here.
A full list of additional holiday events including Christmas cookie making, crafts, and holiday movies plus visits with Santa are listed on the Santee Lakes website.
For the third year in a row, Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve was nationally recognized by the Outdoor Hospitality Industry (formerly ARVC) as its large/mega park Plan-it Green Park of the Year for its environmentally friendly practices across all areas of park operations and its commitment to sustainability.
Originally opened to the public in 1961, today, Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve hosts over 760,000 visitors annually. The 190-acre park’s lakes are stocked with fish year-round. Other amenities include camping, cabin rentals, fishing, boating, playgrounds, walking trails, facility rentals, special events, and approximately 230 bird species.
Lake Jennings hosts a holiday “Gratitude Walk” to benefit the San Diego Food Bank.
Share your Thanksgiving blessings and walk off the pumpkin pie at the Lake Jennings Gobble and Go Gratitude Walk. Walk the five-mile plus perimeter loop during the lake’s operating hours on November 25, 26, and 27. Bring a food item for donation to the San Diego Food Bank, and your day-use entry fee will be waived. Check this list of the most desired food donations. Please, no glass jars or homemade items.
Lake Jennings opened its annual trout fishing season on November 15 and is open daily except on Christmas Day from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. through January 7. The lake will be restocked regularly every two weeks from November 25 through April 14 with 19,000 pounds of trout.
The lake will be open for its New Moon Fishing event on Saturday, November 30, and Saturday, December 28, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visitors can enjoy fishing, boating, hiking, picnicking, sunset watching, star gazing, and firepit rentals. Get more information about activities at https://lakejennings.org/
Lake Jennings is an exceptional destination during winter months for serious and casual wildlife viewers and photographers.
Look for the greater white-fronted goose at Sweetwater Reservoir. You may remember a greater white-fronted goose that landed on the field during a San Diego Padres playoff game in 2023. These birds breed in Alaska and Canada before heading south toward Mexico for the winter. Photo: Kathy Buscher
The range of habitats at the Sweetwater and Loveland Reservoirs supports diverse bird populations. Their proximity to the Pacific Flyway means many migratory species pass through on their way to warmer areas, making the winter months ideal for birdwatching and wildlife walks to burn off holiday meals.
Over 250 bird species have been documented at the Sweetwater Reservoir. Sweetwater Authority welcomes birds and other wildlife as part of its stewardship of the natural watershed, which helps keep reservoir water quality high and supports the balance of human and environmental needs.
View birds from public access areas at the Sweetwater Reservoir or Loveland Reservoir. Bring binoculars, a bird guide, and a notebook.
Sweetwater Authority (Authority) recently welcomed fifteen students and faculty from Stanford University’s The Bill Lane Center for the American West. Group members are part of the university’s multidisciplinary course of study on “Coastal Resilience: Problems and Solutions to Extreme Weather Challenges on the West Coast.”
The Bill Lane Center for the American West is dedicated to advancing scholarly and public understanding of the past, present, and future of western North America. The Center supports research, teaching, and reporting about Western land and life in the United States.
The Stanford University group visited the Robert A. Perdue Water Treatment Plant and Sweetwater Reservoir, as well as the Richard A. Reynolds Groundwater Desalination Facility in Chula Vista. Photo: Sweetwater Authority
The students and faculty first toured the Robert A. Perdue Water Treatment Plant and Sweetwater Reservoir, where they learned how the Authority secures and treats local water, maintains a historic dam, and manages watershed activities for the beneficial use of agency operations and the protection of environmental resources.
The group then visited the Richard A. Reynolds Groundwater Desalination Facility in Chula Vista. There, the students and Authority representatives discussed challenges facing groundwater supplies due to climate change before touring the award-winning facility.
“It was our honor to host the Stanford group and engage in these important discussions with the next generation of leaders,” said Board Chair Paulina Martinez-Perez. Photo: Sweetwater Authority
“The challenges presented by climate change as it relates to providing a sustainable and drought-proof water supply are great, and we need the brightest minds working to ensure long-term resilience for the western region,” said Authority Board Chair Paulina Martinez-Perez.
In its vision to become a leader in sustainability and the fight against climate change, the Authority’s Governing Board sets objectives within the agency’s Strategic Plan to work toward achieving carbon neutrality.
Current fiscal year objectives include implementing a Green Fleet Plan, installing EV stations at its facilities, and exploring green energy solutions like a proposed floating solar project at Sweetwater Reservoir to reduce costs and offset carbon generated as part of water agency operations. For more information, visit www.sweetwater.org/workplan.
They generate green energy. The save money. They slow evaporation. They float.
And the Sweetwater Authority wants to put them on its Sweetwater Reservoir.
General Manager Carlos Quintero said the water agency is exploring the environmental impact of a 9.5 acre floating solar array that would be placed near the Sweetwater Dam.
Several of San Diego County’s most popular reservoir recreation areas offer special holiday events through 2023 and host winter activities during the region’s cooler months.
Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve hosts the “Lights at the Lake” drive through holiday show through December 28. It features more than 100,000 lights and three dozen displays to brighten your holidays. Hours are 5:45 p.m. through 8:45 p.m. (closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). You must buy tickets in advance at https://santeelakes.ticketspice.com/lights-at-the-lakes-2023.
Santa Claus visits with kids on December 21, 22, and 23.
Trout fishing season is in full swing. Lakes 4 and 5 were recently stocked with 1,000 pounds of trout.
For the second year in a row, Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve was nationally recognized by the Outdoor Hospitality Industry (formerly ARVC) as its large/mega park Plan-it Green Park of the Year for its environmentally friendly practices across all areas of park operations and its commitment to sustainability. Judges make their decisions based on several criteria: guest experiences, all-around excellence in operations, professionalism, marketing, customer service, and industry involvement.
Originally opened to the public in 1961, today, Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve hosts over 760,000 visitors annually. The 190-acre park’s lakes are stocked with fish year-round. Other amenities include camping, cabin rentals, fishing, boating, playgrounds, walking trails, facility rentals, special events, and approximately 230 bird species.
A happy angler shows off his catch at Lake Jennings. Photo: Lake Jennings/Facebook
Lake Jennings is open daily except on Christmas Day from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. through January 7. Trout fishing season is in full swing, with the lake fully stocked with 1,500 pounds of rainbow trout. It will be restocked again the week of December 25 and January 8 and 22.
The lake will be open for its New Moon Fishing event on Saturday, January 13, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visitors can enjoy fishing, boating, hiking, picnicking, sunset watching, star gazing, and firepit rentals. The lake will be freshly stocked with 1,500 lbs. of rainbow trout. The entrance gate closes at 8 p.m.; full-sized lanterns are required after sunset. Get more information about activities at https://lakejennings.org/
Lake Jennings is a popular destination for birding and viewing wildlife, like this red-tailed hawk. Photo: Lake Jennings
Lake Jennings is an exceptional destination during winter months for the serious and casual wildlife viewer and photographer. The rolling hills, the endless lake, the coastal sage, and the riparian areas provide a diverse habitat in a small area. Common sightings include deer, fox, and osprey. Bird watchers are drawn to Lake Jennings for its rich variety of bird species.
Just two Sundays are left to enjoy Sweetwater Reservoir’s “Free Fishing Sundays.”
Located at the eastern edge of Bonita, Sweetwater Reservoir’s Recreation Program is easily accessible to Authority customers and offers outdoor activities, including 2.5 miles of shoreline fishing and a riding and hiking trail operated by the County of San Diego.
The entrance is at 3203 Summit Meadow Road in Bonita. A valid California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fishing License is required. Regular fishing fees remain in effect on Fridays, Saturdays, and Mondays. For information on current hours, fees, and safety, visit www.sweetwater.org/fishing.
The reservoir is primarily a local water supply for the Authority’s 200,000 customers in National City, Chula Vista, and Bonita. The Sweetwater Authority has created recreational opportunities, including fishing programs and a riding and hiking trail at Sweetwater operated by the County of San Diego through a license from the Authority.
Chula Vista, Calif. – In fall 2022 and winter 2023, Sweetwater Authority transferred storage water from Loveland Reservoir to Sweetwater Reservoir to meet customer drinking water needs. Years of prolong drought conditions created a need to transfer the water to Sweetwater Reservoir, where it can be treated and distributed to Authority customers at a lower cost than importing water. The water that leaves Loveland Reservoir is conveyed via the natural Sweetwater River course, a length of approximately 17 miles. Along the way, the river traverses natural habitats, including both state and federal ecological wildlife preserves.
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Wednesday unanimously approved land purchases to increase two nature preserves.
The board approved spending $2.8 million to acquire 425 acres for the Mount Olympus County Preserve in Pala-Pauma and Rainbow and $5.3 million for 190 acres to increase Sweetwater Regional Park in Spring Valley.
The addition will expand the Mount Olympus County Preserve to over 1,200 acres and provide large shrubland habitat for deer, mountain lion and other sensitive species, according to Shauni Lyles, a San Diego County communications specialist.
Chula Vista, Calif. — Sweetwater Authority expanded its “Free Fishing” promotion to include Saturdays and Sundays at the Sweetwater Reservoir Recreation Program. Free access begins Saturday, April 22 and will continue through the end of 2023.
Located at the eastern edge of Bonita, California, Sweetwater Reservoir’s Recreation Program is easily accessible to Authority customers and offers an abundance of outdoor activities, including shoreline fishing and a riding and hiking trail operated by the County of San Diego.
The program’s shoreline fishing access stretches along a 2.5 mile stretch on the south side of Sweetwater Reservoir. Anglers can catch a variety of fish, including bass, catfish, bluegill, red eared sunfish and crappie.
The program is currently open Friday through Monday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The entrance is located at 3203 Summit Meadow Road, Bonita, CA 91902. A valid California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fishing License is required. Regular fishing fees are still in effect on Fridays and Mondays.
Sweetwater Authority is a public water agency providing safe, reliable water to National City, Chula Vista and Bonita.
With recent storm systems that swept through the west, California has seen more precipitation this year than normal, bringing the water supply stored in reservoirs — both locally and across the state — up from historic lows to levels that are some of the highest in years.
And with drought conditions having improved in much of California, experts say that the amount of water captured from this year’s particularly wet winter could help ease the impact of hotter, drier weather in San Diego, as the state recovers its depleted water supplies.
The Sweetwater Reservoir now offers “Free Fishing Sundays” through the Sweetwater Authority’s Reservoir Recreation Program. Free access weekly on Sundays will continue through the end of 2023.
Sweetwater Authority Logo 2019