50-Year Lake Cahuilla Lease Extended By One Year

LAKE CAHUILLA, CA — Fifty years ago, the Coachella Valley Water District entered into a lease agreement with Riverside County for the use of Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park.

On Tuesday, the CVWD Board of Directors unanimously voted in favor of extending that five-decades-old lease by one year.

The lease was set to expire in March. According to Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, the extension gives the county and the water district, as well as partnering organizations, more time to work on solutions to protect the waterbody from quagga mussels and ultimately pursue a long-term agreement.

A Coachella Valley native who grew up with Lake Cahuilla, Supervisor V. Manuel Perez sought the extension from CVWD to keep the lake open.

“Lake Cahuilla has had an impact on many peoples’ lives, in the immediate area and afar,” Perez said. “I appreciate the Coachella Valley Water District and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for granting us this extension so that we can continue to negotiate and work together to ensure the future of Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park to be open to the public.”

Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park is operated by the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District via a lease with the Coachella Valley Water District and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The county has operated the lake as a campground and recreational park for 50 years.

As well as being a popular destination for fishing and recreation for local residents and visitors, the lake has also served as a favorite race locale for triathletes.

“I’m very pleased we were able to extend the agreement so that we can keep working together on this issue," said Coachella Valley Water District Board Vice President Cástulo Estrada. "Lake Cahuilla is an important water distribution facility and an important recreational facility. By bringing all the right parties together, we can find a solution that balances everyone’s needs. Thank you to everyone who has been so attentive to this issue and I look forward to continuing to work with you.”

The motion approved by the Coachella Valley Water District Board of Directors also directs Riverside County to install signage to make it clear that boating is not allowed on the lake and to provide educational materials concerning the quagga mussel to every visitor to the park, Perez's office said.

The one-year lease extension agreement will next go to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors for approval.

There is no fiscal impact to the CVWD for the lease extension, CVWD documents show.