Where is Cachuma Lake? What Cachuma means?

Cachuma Lake is a reservoir in the Santa Ynez Valley of central Santa Barbara County, California on the Santa Ynez River adjoining the north side of California State Route 154. The artificial lake was created by the construction of Bradbury Dam, a 201 ft (61 m) earth-fill structure built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in 1953.

Where is Cachuma Lake?

Cachuma Lake is located 20 miles from Santa Barbara on Highway 154. From Southern California, take Hwy 101 north to Hwy 154. From northern California take Hwy 101 south to Hwy 154. Cachuma Lake is located approximately 20 minutes from Hwy 101 to the north or the south.

What Cachuma means?

Built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in 1953, the name “Cachuma” comes from a Chumash village that the Spanish spelled “Aquitsumu”, from the Barbareño Chumash word aqitsu’m, meaning “sign”.

The eagles share Lake Cachuma with 275 species of year-round and migratory birds and waterfowl, including great blue herons, osprey, red-tailed hawks, mergansers, loons, egrets, and Canada geese. Also sharing Lake Cachuma’s 26 miles of shoreline are born, beavers, bobcats, and black-tailed deer.