<P> In 1884 marshy , nearly flat Bear Valley was dammed with a single arch granite impoundment , which held back some 25,000 acre feet ( 31,000 dam ) of water for irrigation purposes in the Redlands area . Redlands citrus growers found that the 1884 dam produced insufficient water . The Bear Valley Mutual Water Company ( successor to Bear Valley Irrigation Company ) hired John S. Eastwood to design a new dam . In 1912 a 72 ft ( 22 m ) multiple arch dam was constructed about 300 ft ( 91 m ) downstream of the old dam and increased the lake capacity to 73,000 acre feet ( 90,000 dam ) . The original granite dam still remains , usually under about 20 feet of water . A highway bridge ( SR 18 ) was built over the arches of the new dam in 1923 . A new bypass bridge was built next to the old bridge in 2009 , and the old bridge on top of the new dam was removed ( 12 ) . Elevation at the surface is 6,750 ft ( 2,060 m ) , but this level fluctuates according to annual snowmelt and runoff . Big Bear Municipal Water District acquired the dam and other assets from the Mutual Water Company in 1977 . </P>
<P> In 1884 marshy , nearly flat Bear Valley was dammed with a single arch granite impoundment , which held back some 25,000 acre feet ( 31,000 dam ) of water for irrigation purposes in the Redlands area . Redlands citrus growers found that the 1884 dam produced insufficient water . The Bear Valley Mutual Water Company ( successor to Bear Valley Irrigation Company ) hired John S. Eastwood to design a new dam . In 1912 a 72 ft ( 22 m ) multiple arch dam was constructed about 300 ft ( 91 m ) downstream of the old dam and increased the lake capacity to 73,000 acre feet ( 90,000 dam ) . The original granite dam still remains , usually under about 20 feet of water . A highway bridge ( SR 18 ) was built over the arches of the new dam in 1923 . A new bypass bridge was built next to the old bridge in 2009 , and the old bridge on top of the new dam was removed ( 12 ) . Elevation at the surface is 6,750 ft ( 2,060 m ) , but this level fluctuates according to annual snowmelt and runoff . Big Bear Municipal Water District acquired the dam and other assets from the Mutual Water Company in 1977 . </P>
who owns the water in big bear lake
who owns the water in big bear lake
Big Bear Municipal Water District
Big Bear Municipal Water District