Little Lake Refilled

Little Lake is full again thanks to recent rains. It was drained for renovation by the Lake Hemet Municipal Water District.

Little Lake is brimming again.

This month's rain dumped so much water in the San Jacinto Mountains that the Lake Hemet Municipal Water District was able to fill the renovated and very pretty reservoir. The five-acre Valle Vista lake is part of the agency's historic irrigation flume system.

Little Lake was drained after district officials opted to end its longtime fishing concession in 2008 to remove junk that accumulated on its banks, dredge muck and improve a pumping system so it could be used to irrigate Valle Vista citrus groves.

"Little Lake is full," said Tom Wagoner, the district's general manager. "We're going to figure out what to do with it now."

Little Lake was called Anglers Lake by its amiable operators, Scot and Robyn Hochstetler, because they thought out-of-town fishermen would be reluctant to travel to a lake with little in its name. They stocked catfish in the summer and trout in the winter until the district ended fishing to clean up the lake.

Fishermen used to line up at its gate before dawn to claim parking spots at their favorite places on the lake's eucalyptus-shaded shore.

Fishermen complained loudly when it closed. District officials listened.

They hired a consultant to outline possible uses for the lake that is on 30 acres of district-owned land. It could be managed by a park district or as a private concession.

In March, they expect to review options such as fishing and a suggestion by Coral Hawley to create a walking path around its shoreline. Establishing callisthenic stations with equipment on the path also was suggested.

The lake was dry before winter, but was able to be filled because of the heavy flow of the San Jacinto River caused by recent rains. The district's flume system draws water from the river.

I, of course, have a better idea for recreation use of Little Lake. I won't charge even a penny as a consultant fee, though I might consider a free margarita.

Metropolitan Water District's much-larger Diamond Valley Lake was declared a no-touch reservoir of drinking water. Perhaps Little Lake, which holds only irrigation water, could fill Hemet's aquatic recreation void.

I suggest that the Lake Hemet district install a beach on its banks, including a tiki bar featuring reggae, Jimmy Buffet and Kenny Chesney tunes.

Besides fishing, sports such as windsurfing and beach volleyball could be offered.

Twin brothers Dave and Dennis Washburn of Washburn Ranch, who seem capable of having more fun than any farmers I've met, would be ideal managers of what could be known as Tiki Bar Beach.

Not only could the lake be a fun place, the water district could become the most profitable, and popular, public agency in the world.

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