Community

It all started when…

Lake Pillsbury is in the heart of the Mendocino National Forest in Lake County, California.  It was formed when Scott Dam was built in 1922 as part of the Potter Valley Project to provide year round water for the hydroelectric powerhouse.

The Lake Pillsbury Basin community includes about 450 homeowners and ranchers, thousands of campers, local businesses, and sports and wildlife enthusiasts.  Many families are multi-generational and have been there for decades.  

Visitors from surrounding counties and the Bay Area and beyond come to Lake Pillsbury to enjoy camping boating and fishing, kayaking and paddle-boarding, and off-water activities such as hiking, mountain biking, trail riding, hang-gliding, etc.  It is a place to unplug and enjoy nature.   

Without Lake Pillsbury, habitats for bald eagles and Tule elk and other wild birds and animals would be destroyed.  There would no longer be a realiable water supply for fire suppression.  In summer months, there would be no downstream kayaking or canoeing. 

Without Lake Pillsbury, two local businesses would lose a substantial amount of income and could be forced to close;  regional businesses would lose revenue associated with restaurants, groceries, gas and home improvement purchases; property tax and tourism revenues to Lake County would decline. The Forest Service would lose campground fee revenue.