Cherry Lake - Credit: USDA

September 2, 2017 - SONORA, California – Camping and hiking at Cherry Lake will be limited beginning Sept. 5 when Hetch Hetchy closes the dam access road to make critical repairs to the dam’s intake valves. 

The road across the dam will remain open through Sept. 4, however visitors are cautioned that the gate at the Cherry Lake Dam will be closed on Sept. 5, 2017, by which time all vehicles must be moved from the Lake Eleanor Trail side of the dam. Any vehicles remaining on the Lake Eleanor Trailhead side of the dam after Sept. 4 will be blocked until repairs are completed. Hetch Hetchy estimates repairs will be complete in about six to eight weeks.

The east side of the Cherry Borrow dispersed camping area is now closed at the spillway in order to provide a storage area for heavy equipment being used for valve repairs within the dam.  There is no access to this area by vehicle or on foot.  Visitors are asked to avoid the closed area entirely.

Due to unforeseen circumstances there is no water available at the Cherry Valley Campground, located next to Cherry Lake.  Visitors will need to bring enough water to accommodate all their needs, including drinking, washing and extinguishing campfires.  Fires are permitted but not encouraged.  Campfires must be in an established metal fire ring within the Cherry Valley Campground boundary.  Visitors must have enough water to fully extinguish their campfires before it is left unattended.  Citations will be issued for active, unattended campfires.

While motorized watercraft are restricted on Cherry Lake until repairs are finished, canoes, kayaks and paddle boards may use the lake. As the lake level continues to decrease, infrastructure that is normally below the water level are emerging and may cause dangerous currents and eddies. Boaters are warned to avoid any structures in the lake for their own safety and are requested to stay at least 25 feet from a temporary floating dock located next to the dam.

San Francisco Power and Utility must lower Cherry Lake by more than 200 feet before mid-September 2017 in order to make the valve repairs. According to Hetch Hetchy, a mechanical failure of one of four high flow release valves occurred this winter. In addition, two of the high flow release valves have reached the end of their design life and are being replaced.

During repairs Forest visitors can enjoy boating opportunities at nearby Don Pedro Reservoir and recreation locations near Cherry Lake include Rainbow Pool and Carlin Falls day use areas, or enjoy the Tuolumne River’s South Fork and Middle Fork near Lumsden.

For more information about recreation at Cherry Lake or the Tuolumne River corridor, contact Stanislaus National Forest at www.fs.usda.gov/stanislaus or call the Groveland Ranger District at (209) 962-7825. For questions related to the repair work at Cherry Reservoir, contact Hetch Hetchy Water and Power at (209) 989-2000.
Source: Stanislaus National Forest