Lake Fulmor
LocationRiverside County, California
Coordinates33°48′19″N 116°46′46″W / 33.8051450°N 116.7795817°W / 33.8051450; -116.7795817
TypeReservoir
EtymologyA. C. Fulmor, Riverside County surveyor
Primary inflowsIndian Creek
Managing agencySan Bernardino National Forest
Built1949; 75 years ago (1949)
First flooded1949
Surface area3 acres (1.2 ha)
Surface elevation1,623 metres (5,325 ft)[1]

Lake Fulmor is a 3-acre (1.2 ha)[2] artificial lake in the San Jacinto Mountains, north of Idyllwild and immediately southeast of the James Reserve,[3] in Riverside County, California, United States.[1] It is managed by the United States Forest Service as part of the San Bernardino National Forest.

History

edit

The area that is now Lake Fulmor was briefly logged in the late 1800s to provide material for Southern Pacific railroad tracks through the San Gorgonio Pass. Most logging ended in 1897 when the United States federal government declared the area the San Bernardino Forest Reserve (later the San Bernardino National Forest) under the Forest Reserve Act of 1891.[4][5]

The first road between Banning and Idyllwild was built in 1910.[6] Hall Canyon, to the north of Idyllwild, forced the road to deviate from a direct route.[6] Riverside County surveyor Alexander Choate (A.C.) Fulmor proposed in 1933 that the road be rerouted on an artificial dam across the canyon, thereby impounding the canyon's waterway, Indian Creek.[7][6] The project was delayed until after Fulmor's retirement due to World War II, but the end of the war brought renewed attention to it.[6]

As part of the re-routing of the road, a dam was built in the late 1940s, and the accompanying reservoir filled shortly.[6] The county named the lake after Fulmor in 1949.[6][7] Soon after, local government installed camping and day use infrastructure,[6] and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife began to stock the lake, leading to its popularity among fishermen.[6]

Government officials dedicated the lake on May 6, 1950.[6][8] Private landowners sold land northeast of the lake to the University of California in 1966, creating the James Reserve,[5] and the Banning-Idyllwild road was designated California State Route 243 in 1970.[9]

Murders

edit

1995 German tourists robbed shot man fled to lake

2008 two people murder man in Banning (poppet flats) dump body in lake

https://www.pe.com/2011/02/28/banning-couple-convicted-of-2008-killing-dumping-body-in-lake/

http://articles.latimes.com/1994-05-18/news/mn-59271_1_mountain-town

http://articles.latimes.com/1995-11-14/news/mn-3048_1_german-tourist

https://www.pe.com/2018/01/03/daughter-of-german-tourist-slain-near-idyllwild-takes-on-ruling-that-could-set-killer-free/

https://books.google.com/books?id=URuF91WbwLAC

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/03/01/couple-convicted-of-killing-dumping-body-in-lake/

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-couple-convicted-of-killing-dumping-body-in-lake-2011mar01-story.html

https://www.ocregister.com/2011/02/25/pair-convicted-in-cabin-bedroom-murder/

Natural history

edit

A giant sequoia grove, the "Lake Fulmor Grove", exists to the northwest of the lake.[10]

Usage

edit

The Forest Service maintains facilities for fishing, hiking, and picknicking at the lake; the service requires a National Forest Adventure Pass to park vehicles.[2][11] The state Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks rainbow trout in the lake approximately three-quarters of the year.[11] Although swimming is technically permitted, water visibility and quality is low, and underwater rocks have proven fatal to cliff jumpers.[7][12]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Lake Fulmor". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ a b Lockeretz, David (2010-12-05). "Lake Fulmor". Nobody Hikes in LA. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  3. ^ "James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve". UC Natural Reserve System. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  4. ^ "A Short History of the San Jacinto Mountains". Idyllwild Area Historical Society. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  5. ^ a b "History James Reserve". James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve. 2014-07-31. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Snibbe, Kurt (2014-01-16). "BACK IN THE DAY: Man-made Lake Fulmor proves popular". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
  7. ^ a b c "Is Lake Fulmor a natural lake? Can I swim/fish in it?". James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve. 2015-05-03. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  8. ^ Maben, Jay (1950-05-06). "Sportsmen's Notebook". San Bernardino Sun. Retrieved 2018-01-18 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
  9. ^ "Road in San Jacinto Mts. May Become State Highway". San Bernardino County Sun. July 13, 1969. p. 18. Retrieved June 20, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  10. ^ Grant, Verne; Beeks, Richard; Latimer, Howard (1956). "Genetic and Taxonomic Studies in Gilia: IX. Chromosome Numbers in the Cobwebby Gilias". Aliso. 3 (3): 289–296. doi:10.5642/aliso.19560303.03. ISSN 0065-6275.
  11. ^ a b "Lake Fulmor Day Use Area". United States Forest Service. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  12. ^ Hurt, Suzanne (2016-07-02). "Where to find the 10 best swimming holes in the Inland Empire's wilderness". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved 2018-01-18.