Santa Margarita Lake could soon welcome swimmers for the first time ever, but the prospect of turning the quiet California reservoir into a recreational hotspot has already riled up fishermen and longtime lake users.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1253 on Aug. 31, removing a longstanding state restriction and creating a path for San Luis Obispo County to allow body-contact recreation at the lake.
But don’t pack the sunscreen just yet.
The law takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, yet county officials say swimming likely won’t begin until summer 2027 at the earliest.
Before anyone can jump in, officials must tackle health, safety, water-quality, infrastructure and operational requirements.
And some locals are worried the changes could wreck what they love about the place.
“It’s a nightmare,” Lakewood resident Mike Byrum told The Fresno Bee while hitching his boat to his truck Tuesday.
The biggest concern for anglers is the lake’s shallow shoreline, where bass and other fish live, feed and spawn.
That’s also exactly where swimmers and waders would be expected to congregate.
Fishermen fear heavy human activity could scare fish into deeper water, damage spawning areas and make it much harder to catch fish from the shore.
There’s also a broader fear that the lake’s peaceful atmosphere could get swallowed up by crowds and noise.
Santa Margarita Lake is currently known as a calm, pristine natural sanctuary, and some longtime users worry that opening the water to more recreation will destroy the quiet escape they rely on.
County officials are trying to head off some of those fears by making clear that not every water sport is suddenly getting the green light.
If the Board of Supervisors ultimately approves body contact, county staff envision lower-impact activities such as swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, windsurfing, sail or foil boarding and body-contact fishing, including float tubes and wading.
Water skiing, wakeboarding, wake surfing and tow-behind activities are not currently envisioned.
The change would give people without boats a way to enjoy the lake beyond simply staying on shore.
Still, there are major hurdles.
The county must coordinate with the City of San Luis Obispo, which receives drinking water from the reservoir, along with County Public Health, state agencies, the Sheriff’s Office and County Fire.
The State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water must specifically approve body contact at Santa Margarita Lake. Water testing and reporting requirements will also have to be met.
“This is an exciting possibility for Santa Margarita Lake, but there is still a lot of work ahead of us,” Public Works Director John Diodati said. “Protecting drinking water and public safety will remain our first priorities.”
The Board of Supervisors will eventually hold a public meeting and vote on whether to expand recreational access.
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