Walking Waterhoods: Lodi Lake Nature Area

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Walking Waterhoods: Lodi Lake Nature Area

Lodi, California 95240, United States

Created By: Wholly H2O

Tour Information

This probably isn’t your first visit to the Lodi Lake Nature Area. However, few know how important it is both as an ecosystem and as one of the few remnants of habitat that used to exist all along the Mokelumne River.

Take a walk with us through this beautiful area and learn about the many species that call it home and how efforts over time to protect it have left it here for everyone in the City of Lodi to use and love.


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What You'll See on the Tour

Did you know there were separate plans to turn this nature area into a golf course, more houses, or even a state park? Originally, the area around the lake was entirely private property. By the 1940's, most property owners had sold the land... Read more
One of the amazing things about this area is the variety of habitats that exist in such a small space. A habitat is a particular type of environment that provides food and shelter for species specifically adapted to live there. Technically,... Read more
Wherever you are, you're in a watershed! One definition of a watershed is an area of land where water from either rain, snow, or natural springs collects to form streams and rivers that empty into another body of water. Watersheds are forme... Read more
Imagine standing here 300 years ago. You’d be surrounded by dense riverside forests of cottonwoods, willows, and sycamores, with valley oaks rising on higher ground. Tule elk, grizzly bears, and mountain lions roamed freely. There was a v... Read more
As you walk around the lake, you might spot a tangle of thorny vines — these are called blackberry brambles. These wild blackberries are the same kind you buy at the grocery store — but let’s leave these for the wildlife. While it mig... Read more
Along the Mokelumne River, humans have built dams, reservoirs, and hydroelectric plants to provide drinking water, water for irrigation, and generate electricity for human activity, while balancing the state-assigned "co-equal goal" of mana... Read more
Look for the shallow depression to your right — this is what we call Cattail Creek, even though it’s not actually a creek. It’s a seasonal swale, a gentle dip in the landscape that only holds water when the Mokelumne River rises and s... Read more
In California, the right to use water is granted through the legal system. Some residents have “riparian” rights to the water because they own land next to the river. Others have “appropriative” rights and are allowed to harness the... Read more
Walking through this area during the day, it's hard to know just how many animal species live and thrive in this area. Why? Because many of them are most active at night (nocturnal) or at dawn and dusk (crepuscular). There are foxes, skunks... Read more
The Plains Miwok (also spelled Miwuk, Mi-Wuk, or Me-Wuk) first migrated to this area of the Mokelumne River watershed between 10,000 to 13,000 years ago. They were one of four “bands” of 9,000-11,000 Miwok tied together by a common lang... Read more
Ever noticed dead trees in the forest? Whether standing "snags" or fallen logs, they're ecological gold mines. Woodpeckers carve nesting holes in snags, later used by owls, bluebirds, and squirrels as homes. Once fallen, logs become bustlin... Read more
Most people think of the Gold Rush as the catalyst for immigration to California, but the first economic opportunity to draw European colonists to the area was the fur trade. Beginning in the 1770’s, trading was concentrated primarily alo... Read more
When the Spaniards moved into the Bay Area in 1776, the Ohlone Indians were the first to feel the effects of their colonizing efforts. They lived on the land the Spaniards most wanted. Some Ohlone initially believed the Spanish missionaries... Read more
Ever wondered where all the water from our streets ends up? Look right here! This stormwater outfall pipe is like a giant funnel, carrying rainwater straight from city streets into our lake. Next time it rains, imagine following a single ra... Read more
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Each September, there is a “clean-up day” here at Lodi Lake, as part of International Coastal Cleanup Day. In 2024, 165 volunteers collected over 200 pounds of trash and recyclables from Lodi Lake. The greatest concerns were the hundred... Read more
Stormwater is rainwater that hits the ground, and then flows over streets and sidewalks, picking up pollutants like oil, trash, soaps, feces, and tire dust. This "runoff" enters storm drains in neighborhoods and flows directly into the Moke... Read more
  Here we are standing next to a Fremont cottonwood, a native tree and key part of our ecosystem at Lodi Lake. These deciduous trees are recognizable by their heart-shaped leaves. If you visit from March to April, you will see their droop... Read more
Fremont Cottonwoods are a favorite nesting spot for birds like Snowy Egrets (Egretta thula), which roost in the cottonwoods year-round and hunt for many of these smaller fish in the nearby waters of Lodi Lake. Smaller birds like the Nutta... Read more
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Did you know the beavers (Castor canadensis) of the Mokelumne River don’t build dams? The river is too wide and deep, so they dig burrows into the riverbanks instead. These burrows compact soil, reduce erosion, and encourage vegetation gr... Read more
Pig's Lake is an oxbow lake, which is a crescent-shaped body of water that occurs when a river takes a shortcut during flooding and cuts off a sharp bend. Pig's Lake got its name from nearby pig farms where the animals would roam around the... Read more
California naturally experiences wildfires due to its dry climate, vegetation, and seasonal conditions. Historically, the Miwok people managed fire through controlled burns: intentional, low-intensity fires set to clear underbrush and other... Read more
Here in Lodi, we have two species of native oak, the Valley Oak (Quercus lobata) and the Interior Live Oak (Quercus wislizeni). The majestic Valley Oak with its enormous height and breadth has smooth, lobed leaves. It is particularly suited... Read more
Keystone species are plants or animals that have a disproportionately large effect on the environment relative to their abundance. As with many of the trees here along the river, the oaks play a huge role supporting other flora and fauna. ... Read more
This area is part of the Mokelumne River’s natural floodplain. In the past, heavy rains would cause the river to rise and spread out over the land, flooding areas where homes are now built. In 1950, a major flood covered 10,000 acres in L... Read more

 

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