The swimming season has come to a close here at Lake Piru. Our season officially runs Memorial Day to Labor Day and that window has closed. This is a friendly reminder that swimming from the shoreline is not permitted at this time and could result in a citation for failure to comply. Swimming will resume beginning Memorial Day 2024. Water sports such as water skiing and tubing are still permitted, so long as participants are wearing a Coast Guard approved flotation device.

Dear Lake Piru Visitors:

It’s been an unprecedented year for rainfall throughout the state and there is an abundance of available water. In addition, the coming year’s forecast is shaping up to be a second straight wet year. To help other regions prepare for significant flood mitigation and to take advantage of the opportunity of the excess available water that can be put to beneficial use here in Ventura County, beginning on July 10, 2023, we will begin drawing down the reservoir level in Lake Piru, using the water to recharge groundwater basins in the Piru, Fillmore, Santa Paula, and Oxnard areas. This recharge operation also helps to fight seawater intrusion along the coast, another extremely beneficial use of this water.

The draw down will take several weeks/months so that swimming, fishing and boating will still be possible at Lake Piru through summer. We fully anticipate, however, that come November, we will once again be filling the reservoir as excess State Water from Northern California becomes available and winter storms bring more runoff. For information on how the water in Lake Piru benefits the region, please visit the United Water Conservation District (owners and operators of Lake Piru and the Santa Felicia Dam) website at www.unitedwater.org.

Personal watercraft (PWCs) will be limited to no more than 20 units on the reservoir at any given time. No vessels will be permitted past the 5 mph buoy line at the Reservoir’s South End near Santa Felicia Dam. This area will remain closed until further notice.

There are no limits to fun at Lake Piru! Whether you are seeking adventure or relaxation, you can find it here. Nestled in the Los Padres National Forest, picturesque Lake Piru offers an escape from city life, with a tree-shaded campground, fishing, boating and water sports. Or chill at our lakeside picnic area with a playground, horseshoes, disc golf and more. All this less than an hour’s drive from Los Angeles!