Naraghi Lake

Naraghi Lake is an artificial lake within the northeastern city of Modesto, in Stanislaus County, California.

History

Naraghi Lake was excavated in the 1980s as one of a planned series of water features for a large residential and commercial development complex straddling both sides of Oakdale Road. The lake is named after the Naraghi family, who were at one time large landowners in the area, and who planned the initial development. [1] Shortly after excavating the lake, the Naraghi development was scrapped because of financial and market problems, leaving the lake as the only evidence of the plan that had been abandoned. [2] The surrounding land was sold off and subsequently developed. The lake remains the property of the Naraghi family.

It was open to the public for fishing and recreational use until 2004, when liability issues and problems related to people dumping invasive species into the lake including a fish related to the piranha, finally prompted the Naraghi family to fence in the perimeter. [3]

Over the years, numerous proposals for the land and the lake have been discussed, including converting it into a city park, building private residences around its perimeter, and building apartment or office complexes on the property. [4][5] Most of these plans are hamstrung by the now-limited amount of land remaining around the lake, and have not been pursued beyond the discussion phase.

Geography

The surface area of the lake is 13 acres (5.3 ha).

Most of the water in Naraghi Lake is naturally occurring due to the very shallow water table in this part of Modesto. It was built by simply excavating a hole in the otherwise flat terrain, and permitting natural groundwater to flow in. Prior to the installation of surface drainage systems for agriculture in the early 20th century, the entire area was a large natural marshland. Naraghi Lake benefits the surrounding neighborhoods by acting as an evaporation pond, drawing in water that might otherwise cause foundation subsidence or other problems with the streets and structures.

For aesthetic reasons, the lake water is occasionally supplemented by pumped water during late summer and during drought years, when the natural water table falls.

Fish

The commonly found fish in the lake are Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Catfish, Spotted Bass, White Bass, Striped Bass, and Trout. Other wildlife like ducks and geese can also be found in and near the lake.

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Modesto Bee. News posting Jan. 20, 2008
  2. ↑ . Bio of H. Naraghi
  3. ↑ Westcoastfishing.com: Naraghi Lake
  4. ↑ Modesto.Gov: City Council Agenda, Jan 28, 2008
  5. ↑ C&ED 2008 Modesto.Gov Fall Quarterly Newsletter, Naraghi Lakes Commercial Project]

Coordinates: 37°40′55″N 120°57′37″W / 37.68194°N 120.96028°W / 37.68194; -120.96028

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