Lake Berryessa is situated in Napa County, California. It is the largest lake in Napa County and is formed by the Monticello Dam. The Dam provides with water and hydroelectricity the north region of San Francisco Bay area.
This lake was previously a valley of an agricultural region with the best soils in the country. In order to construct the reservoir, the main city Monticello was abandoned. Besides the lake’s job, as a water and electricity provider, it is also heavily used for recreational purposes. Because of the narrow portion of the reservoir, it is a hot spot for water skiing.
It is 15 mi (24.14 km) long, but only 3 mi (4.82 km) wide and has about 165 mi (265.54 km) of shoreline. The lake rests among low hills that are covered with manzanita and oak. Maximum depth of the lake is 275 ft (83.82 m) and the surface area covers 20700 ac (83.77 km²). The surface is elevated by 443 ft (135.03 m).
The area is hot, mostly dry in summers and cool and wet in winters. At the southwest end of the lake lies a free boat launch ramp and along the shore there are many private ones. There are shops and schools nearby to help you with your equipment and water ski courses.
