Formerly called Harold Reservoir, Lake Palmdale was completed in 1924 to aid local Antelope Valley agriculture by providing a stable and consistent water source for the local farmers. At the time of its completion, agriculture was the primary economic driver in the Palmdale area. This water source was needed due to the rain shadow desert effect that the San Gabriel Mountains have on the Antelope Valley, located in the Mojave Desert. Today the lake serves as the primary water source for the Palmdale Water District, the city's public water utility, and provides water for more than 200,000 people who live in the area. It also is used to generate electricity.