Fountaingrove Lake
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| Fountaingrove Lake | |
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| Location | Sonoma County, California, United States |
| Coordinates | |
| Primary outflows | Piner Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 25 acres |
| Islands | One |
| Settlements | Santa Rosa, California |
Fountaingrove Lake () is a freshwater lacustrine surface water body in the city of Santa Rosa, California, USA.[1][2] This lake is fed by Piner Creek at the east, which stream also emanates on the west as the lake's sole outlet. A private country club known as the Fountaingrove Golf and Athletic Club owns the land around the lake and in 1985 designed a championship 18 hole golf course[3] centered on Fountaingrove Lake.[4] The golf course was designed by Ted Robinson Sr.
Fountaingrove has significant aquatic as well as upland biota, and is noted for being a habitat of the Western pond turtle, Actinemys marmorata, a "Species of Special Concern".[5] [6]
Within the lake at its verges are significant densities of wetland plants; moreover, at upland locations there are many native trees, particularly Coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia and Garry oak, Quercus garryana. Fishing has historically been conducted within the lake, although golf course and other urban development around the perimeter has reduced these practices.[7]
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[edit] Environmental factors
The microclimate at Fountaingrove Lake is a mild Mediterranean climate typical of southern and central Sonoma County. Approximately 29.2 inches (74.2 cm) of precipitation occur at Fountaingrove Lake annually, almost entirely in the form of rainfall. The record high and low temperatures for this locale are 110°F (43°C) and 16°F (-9°C) respectively.[8] Air quality is generally good since prevailing winds are from the northwest and intercept little industry as the winds travel from the Pacific Ocean. Sound levels have increased steadily with the growth of Santa Rosa, with the principal local sound source being Fountaingrove Parkway; sound levels from vehicles ascending the steep grades of that arterial can attain levels of 55 to 58 dBA at the environs of Fountaingrove Lake.
[edit] Current issues
A 500,000 gallon water storage tank was proposed near the southern end of Fountaingrove Lake; the city of Santa Rosa has approved this project to add to the municipal drinking water supply, subject to erosion control measures to protect Fountaingrove Lake from excessive siltation.[9] A substantial retirement community known as Varenna is under development as of 2007 on the ridgetop at the southeastern perimeter of Fountaingrove Lake. The Varenna project had not made wetlands mitigation environmental filings in a timely manner with the California Regional Water Quality Control Board regarding certain filling of perimeter wetlands of Fountaingrove Lake associated with its development project; therefore, additionaly off-site mitigation was required of the project to compensate the people of California for the wetlands destruction at Fountaingrove Lake. On site mitigation measures include extensive erosion protection for cut slopes and installation of bioswales.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Fountaingrove Lake, Sonoma County, California
- ^ Santa Rosa Quadrangle, Fifteen minute series, USGS Quadrangle Map, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC (1958)
- ^ Fountaingrove Golf and Athletic Club Official Site
- ^ Varenna Project Retirement Community at Fountaingrove Lake
- ^ City of Santa Rosa Creeks Master Plan
- ^ Species of Special Concern. Sacremento Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved on 2007-03-09.
- ^ Sonoma county Bass Fishing Club
- ^ Historic meteorological data for Santa Rosa, California
- ^ Minutes of Santa Rosa City Council Meeting October 10, 2000
