Lake Isabella

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Satellite photo of Lake Isabella

Lake Isabella is a man-made reservoir in Kern County, California. It was formed in 1953 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dammed the Kern River at the junction of its two forks. At 11,000 acres (45 km²), it is one of the largest reservoirs in California. The area is in the southern end of the Sierra Nevada range and the lake itself is located in low mountains at an elevation of approximately 2500 feet (760 m). Lake Isabella is located about 40 miles (65 km) northeast of Bakersfield, and is a main water supply for that city. Lake Isabella can be reached by car from Bakersfield via state Highway 178 and from Delano via Highway 155.

The lake is a dividing point. Upper Kern River flows into Lake Isabella, Lower Kern River flows out of the lake and toward Bakersfield. The nearby towns of Lake Isabella and Kernville receive economic benefit from tourism created by the Lake Isabella Recreation Area and the whitewater rafting attraction of the Upper and Lower Kern River. Much of the wilderness surrounding the lake is part of the Sequoia National Forest.