Inspiration Lake

In 1946, William Mott, Jr. made plans to build a 350-foot long and 80-foot high dam in Dimond Canyon to harness the water from several creeks and create Inspiration Lake and recreation area. Plans changed when Highway 13 began construction and in 1961 the Montclair Golf Course was built. Instead of creating an place for aquatic creatures to inhabit and the public to enjoy, the project paved over Sausal Creek. Though golf courses technically provide green spaces, they require significant amounts of water and heavy machinery to maintain, disrupting local ecology.