{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{more citations needed|date=February 2021}}

{{Infobox body of water | name = Irvine Lake | image = Irvine lake California photo D Ramey Logan.jpg | caption = | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = Orange County, California | coords = {{coord|33|46|37|N|117|43|11|W|region:US-CA_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}} | type = Reservoir | inflow = | outflow = | catchment = | basin_countries = United States | length = | width = | area = {{convert|700|acre|km2|lk=in}} | depth = | max-depth = | volume = {{convert|28000|acre.ft|km3|abbr=on|lk=in}} | residence_time = | shore = | elevation = | islands = | cities = <!-- Map --> | pushpin_map = California#USA | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = Location of Irvine Lake in California, USA. | pushpin_map_caption = <!-- Below --> | website = | reference = }}

'''Irvine Lake''' is a reservoir in Orange County, California, United States. It is on Santiago Creek, located in Silverado, California, east of the city of Irvine and close to Irvine Regional Park. The reservoir is currently operated by the Serrano Water District and OC Parks.

Access to the lake is via Santiago Canyon Road, the road leading from Orange to Silverado. Cleveland National Forest is on the northeast side of the lake.

==History== The lake is formed by Santiago Dam at the lake's north end, which was built between 1929 and 1931, and was originally called the Santiago Reservoir. The dam was built by the Irvine Company and the Serrano Water District (known as Serrano Irrigation District at the time); it is now owned by the Irvine Ranch Water District and operated in conjunction with OC Parks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=District Update |url=https://www.serranowater.org/district-update |access-date=2026-05-06 |website=Serrano Water District |language=en}}</ref> The lake provides drinking water to Villa Park and some parts of Orange, and provides supplementary irrigation water to neighboring ranches.

Stocked with largemouth bass, catfish, trout, and crappie, the lake fishery opened to the public in 1941. The land around the lake is owned by the Irvine Company, which leases the fishing, boating, and camping concessions to SWD Recreation Inc.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}

The lake had not been full from 2011 onward due to an extended drought, and its levels had been steadily decreasing for years. In September 2016, it was at 13&nbsp;percent of capacity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cdec.water.ca.gov/jspplot/jspPlotServlet.jsp?sensor_no=5686&end=11%2F04%2F2016+14%3A19&geom=huge&interval=3650&cookies=cdec01|title=Santiago Creek Reservoir (Irvine Lake) Monthly Data from 11/07/2006 through 11/04/2016|work=California Data Exchange Center|publisher=California Department of Water Resources|accessdate=2016-11-04}}</ref> By August 2019, the lake was naturally refilled due to an unusual amount of rain. The amount of area covered in water went from 2,700 acre-feet to 15,715 acre-feet in a one-year span.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Robinson |first1=Alicia |title=Dramatic photos of SoCal's Irvine Lake rebounding after seven years of drought conditions |url=https://www.chicoer.com/2019/08/21/irvine-lake-is-rebounding-after-seven-years-of-drought-conditions/ |website=Chico Enterprise-Record |access-date=February 7, 2021 |date=August 21, 2019}}</ref>

In 2016, Irvine Lake was closed to the public due to financial disagreements between the Serrano Water District and the Irvine Company. The Orange County Grand Jury did an investigation and recommended working with OC Parks to mediate the risks in the operations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2018-2019 Reports, in order of release {{!}} Orange County Grand Jury |url=https://www.ocgrandjury.org/2018-2019-reports-order-release#docaccess-fef3f9f0ffc878343b50375339d6ea62 |access-date=2026-05-06 |website=www.ocgrandjury.org}}</ref> In August 2019, the lake was successfully reopened to the public for shore fishing and other activities after OC Parks, the Serrano Water District, and the Irvine Company came to a one-year agreement to resume operations.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vargas |first1=Vikki |title=After 3 Years of Closure, Irvine Lake is Set to Reopen |url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/after-3-years-of-closure-irvine-lake-is-set-to-re-open/130856/ |website=NBC 4 Los Angeles |access-date=February 7, 2021 |date=July 31, 2019}}</ref>

On January 15, 2025, Serrano Water District transferred its 25% ownership of the Lake and Dam to Irvine Ranch Water District.<ref>{{Cite web |title=District Update |url=https://www.serranowater.org/district-update |access-date=2026-05-06 |website=Serrano Water District |language=en}}</ref>

== See also == *List of lakes in California

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == {{commons category}} *[http://www.irwd.com/construction/irvine-lake IRWD's page on Irvine Lake] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20150911211004/http://www.serranowater.org/Irvine-Lake.aspx SWD's page on Irvine Lake] *[http://www.irvinelake.net Recreational information], the website of the concessionaire

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Irvine}} Category:Parks in Orange County, California Category:Santa Ana River Category:Reservoirs in Orange County, California Category:Recreational fishing in the United States Category:Reservoirs in California Category:Reservoirs in Southern California