Owning/Building a private lake

[hallett21]

So I've always wanted to have a private lake.

Was looking on google earth over Newberry Springs. I've counted 10+ waterski lakes out there. Is it as simple as drilling a well out there? Obviously you'd need to take a dozer out there to build up the perimeter of the lake as well as setup a gravel base Im sure.

I think it would be a cool project for a few families to go in on and have their own oasis. You can buy 28 acre property for 50k.

Anyone ever build a lake out there?

 

[Backlash]

Nope, but you'd have to have a helluva water source as I would think that desert heat would dry things up quickly. Bought my Howard from a resident out in NS. Pretty cool little place if you're cool with driving in circles at less than 36mph.

 

[hallett21]

Nope, but you'd have to have a helluva water source as I would think that desert heat would dry things up quickly. Bought my Howard from a resident out in NS. Pretty cool little place if you're cool with driving in circles at less than 36mph.

I wouldn't give up the river. But on memorial day weekend I would be stoked to have my own lake to go skiing on lol.

 

[aj923]

There are some water ski communities in the Phoenix area.

Waterski Communities | Waterski Arizona

waterskiarizona.com

Seems a lot easier than trying to build your own lol. I looked into it then decided it wasn't worth it to me. I like the idea but I don't like HOAs and the rules they have regarding the lake.

 

[hallett21]

There are some water ski communities in the Phoenix area.

Waterski Communities | Waterski Arizona

waterskiarizona.com

Seems a lot easier than trying to build your own lol. I looked into it then decided it wasn't worth it to me. I like the idea but I don't like HOAs and the rules they have regarding the lake.

I would only do it if I owned the lake. Im trying to decide if you could build the lake for a Million. Divide that by 4-8 families.

Set up some solar panels to run the well pumps. Pour some RV pads with 50amp hookups. 10-15 years down the line build some homes. Definitely need a huge wall or fence around the property.

 

[hallett21]

@welldigger00 whats this well gonna set me back?

 

[cofooter]

We have a lake out here in Colorado we lease with 9 other families. Just a little ski/camping deal. Its a cool place to escape to on weekends and all the members are good friends. It was a gravel pit that got mined and then filled up from springs underneath the lake. Its next to the river so thats the water source and it always stays w/in a foot or so in elevation all year round. In Newberry Springs, my nephew works for a guy that has one of those lakes, pretty cool deal. I would expect that you'd have a fairly large battle with the city/county to get it permitted and you don't own the water, if you expose it, you would have to pay someone to account for evaporation/loss which could be a lot of money. Also, insurance is expensive. Maybe cheaper to look into membership/property on one of the existing lakes.

 

[MissB]

I think that would be super fun! Get up on a nice morning, make some turns. I'm down!

 

[hallett21]

We have a lake out here in Colorado we lease with 9 other families. Just a little ski/camping deal. Its a cool place to escape to on weekends and all the members are good friends. It was a gravel pit that got mined and then filled up from springs underneath the lake. Its next to the river so thats the water source and it always stays w/in a foot or so in elevation all year round. In Newberry Springs, my nephew works for a guy that has one of those lakes, pretty cool deal. I would expect that you'd have a fairly large battle with the city/county to get it permitted and you don't own the water, if you expose it, you would have to pay someone to account for evaporation/loss which could be a lot of money. Also, insurance is expensive. Maybe cheaper to look into membership/property on one of the existing lakes.

Ive heard there are work arounds when you "grow" crops or have a duck/ hunting club. Clearly would need to do more digging. Obviously going to havasu, mead etc would be much more affordable. This plan is taking affordable and throwing it out the window lol.

 

[monkeyswrench]

I had a customer out towards Barstow/Daggett that grew alfalfa. The property had been in his family since the railroad was placed. He was in a constant battle over water rights with the state. I think they even said he needed to cut back his usage. Last I heard he was getting ready to sell, but that was maybe 5-6 years ago. I remember reading about some of the Newberry Springs places, and they were allowed to do that under some agriculture rullings. Maybe they had to have so many sf of ag for acre feet of water? Maybe some were grandfathered in?

If you make one, make it long enough to do a flatbottom invitational! Show, shine and scare the hell out of the jack rabbits

 

[cofooter]

Ive heard there are work arounds when you "grow" crops or have a duck/ hunting club. Clearly would need to do more digging. Obviously going to havasu, mead etc would be much more affordable. This plan is taking affordable and throwing it out the window lol.

If you do what you are thinking and sell memberships or lots you could make some money.

 

[hallett21]

If you do what you are thinking and sell memberships or lots you could make some money.

I think one this size you could have up to 20 families. But I think ideally 10 would be better.

Now if you could triple this size you could fit a fair amount of people. My idea would be a place that you could go to and not have to deal with too many people. A lot of these lakes have 50-100 homes. Which seems like you spend more time waiting on others who are using the lake.

 

[DC-88]

I've heard there's one out there in Newberry with the course and other components that can be rented for the day or weekend . Might be a good way to do a trial run with some buddies/ other families for a day or two and see how it is.

 

[hallett21]

I like this shape. Gives you some coves for multiple families and has the islands to eat up wake while your'e water skiing. Not to mention you can run a 19ft outboard and small wake board boat and be totally content.

 

[hallett21]

 

[cofooter]

Those lakes built for skiing with a slalom course are one boat rotations, the members take turns and get 15 or 20m each. Much more than 10 members the waiting time becomes too long. The lake above could accomodat several boats at a time unless ones a wakeboat, lol.

 

[whiteworks]

My buddy Greg is one of the premiere private lake builders in the country, he has story’s for days about all the weird things you have to to build a lake, each one is different.

they have a wave pool, wake board community in the Planning stages out in the Coachella valley, super high end deal, sounds cool. It’s gonna be hundreds of millions to do from what I gathered.

 

[FlatNv]

agree with WW with my limited experience just buying water rights in Nevada and Utah I can see it costing millions in just water rights

 

[D19]

The one right off the 40 just east of Fort Caddy Rd was owned by my good friend's next door neighbor. It was a lot of work maintaining it and pulling the reeds (ask me how I know) lol.

I went out there a coupe times and rode jet skis. It was cool but super shallow and mucky. You can only run laps for so long before it gets old.

He lost water rights after a long a battle.

 

[hallett21]

The one right off the 40 just east of Fort Caddy Rd was owned by my good friend's next door neighbor. It was a lot of work maintaining it and pulling the reeds (ask me how I know) lol.

I went out there a coupe times and rode jet skis. It was cool but super shallow and mucky. You can only run laps for so long before it gets old.

He lost water rights after a long a battle.

Could he keep the lake full and just pay for the water?

Reading some old articles it looks like if you were growing alfalfa you get a work around on using the water.


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[floatn turd]

The fastest I have ever been on a kneeboard was on one of those little lakes in Newberry, back in the day.

Pretty cool little Lake if I remember correctly.

FT

 

[Ziggy]

I'd want to build one for Sprint Boats.

 

[D19]

Could he keep the lake full and just pay for the water?

Reading some old articles it looks like if you were growing alfalfa you get a work around on using the water.


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I don't know, but I would imagine that it would cost way more than it would be worth. I'm sure after all the legal costs and agricultural rights costs he could buy a riverfront home in Needles.

 

[WildHorses24]

View attachment 877848

This is my clients lake, the grandmother owns the rights. I believe every property is a family member. From what he tells me the water rights are grandfathered.


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[cofooter]

Here is good article on the battle you will go through building your own ski lake. The lake is right up the road from ours.

A Blueprint For Building A Private Ski Site | Boating Mag

Imagine this scene: You're on a perfectly glassy lake, ready to take what is sure to be your personal best slalom ride. You stretch, hop on the swim step,

www.boatingmag.com

 

[Crazyhippy]

A barefooter in Texas built one. Barefoot paradise maybe?

 

[hallett21]

So looks like you’ll easily spend 500k to a million digging and building the lake.

There’s 160 acre properties out there that are current alfalfa farms for sale at 1.2 million. They come with 750 acre water rights. I wonder if that only applies to farming or if that is simply tied to the property.


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[mash on it]

Some info here-

Barstow Private Lake

Ran across this looking at boats on Craigs.....:confused: http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/boa/673294397.html

www.riverdavesplace.com

Skip down to post 22, Brad @ scjb.

Dan'l

 

[Danger Dave]

There's a private lake on the way to Mammoth right outside Olancha. It was going to be a development too, not sure many homes got sold there if I remember right.

 

[hallett21]

Some info here-

Barstow Private Lake

Ran across this looking at boats on Craigs.....:confused: http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/boa/673294397.html

www.riverdavesplace.com

Skip down to post 22, Brad @ scjb.

Dan'l

So 10-12 ft walls or fences are required. Possibly a few Rottweilers lol


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[traquer]

I've seen pics from Calico lakes, looks very nice

 

[traquer]

Speaking of which, just Googled it. This guy has his priorities straight!

 

[hallett21]

There's a private lake on the way to Mammoth right outside Olancha. It was going to be a development too, not sure many homes got sold there if I remember right.

Looks like it sold for 850 in September. Funny how many of these lakes exist.


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[HNL2LHC]

If you just want to ski or wake board you can do something like this. Saw it on our travels in CO this weekend. You don’t need to have a boat or worry about wake boat wakes. :aniteef:

1583 Cipolla Road
Fruita, CO 81521

 

[cofooter]

There is a really nice private ski lake right down the road as well, also visible from I-70

 

[hallett21]

While we’re dreaming big. You could also throw an airstrip next to the lake. Might need a bigger piece of property


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[trophybug19]

Made a few visits to one of those lakes out in NS. My friends uncle would rent out one of the smaller lakes, just big enough for one boat and had a slalom course set up, tight turns at each end. He looked into trying to Build one but as most said on here getting the water rights to be able to drill a well was damn near impossible. Was fun as hell though, he would get his ski runs in the morning, then he would pull us around the rest of the day day doing whatever we wanted, wakeboard, single ski and battle one body boards. Did some stupid stuff that almost got us kicked out of there.

 

[welldigger00]

@welldigger00 whats this well gonna set me back?

I don’t think the water rights issue will be a problem in San Bernardino county. It wouldn’t be commercial, so you could keep the well permits on an ag permit base. The problem is gonna be how much water is loss due to evaporative losses. They say that 3” of loss per acre can range up to 50k gallons a day. If you’re talking about a lake that’s in the fifty plus acre size, the losses will be huge. So, huge losses means you have to keep up with well water obviously. So let’s say that your losses are in the 100,000 gallon a day scenario, you’re looking at a well that can produce 80-100 GPM on a 24 hour constant pumping schedule during the hot part of the year. The wells in Newbury Springs are going to vary, but I’d shoot for 500’ as a good starting point. 100 GPM from 500’ is gonna be in the 20-30 hp category for a submersible. You’re gonna need an 8” cased and gravel packed well, for the 6” pump and motor for the well pump, I’d say you’re in the $75k-$100k bracket. Now, that’s not gonna be the expensive part. The electricity to run the well pump even with a drive will be like 100-150 amps at least. The other option would be to drill a bigger well, and run a turbine that will flow in the 500 GPM range, and not run it all day. You’re gonna be in the $200k range for something like that, but you could run it off a Diesel engine with a drive adapter. The biggest consumer of energy on the planet is pumping water. Not a big deal when you got a baller budget like some of the boys here on the RDP. if you wanna know more, pm me.


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[hallett21]

I don’t think the water rights issue will be a problem in San Bernardino county. It wouldn’t be commercial, so you could keep the well permits on an ag permit base. The problem is gonna be how much water is loss due to evaporative losses. They say that 3” of loss per acre can range up to 50k gallons a day. If you’re talking about a lake that’s in the fifty plus acre size, the losses will be huge. So, huge losses means you have to keep up with well water obviously. So let’s say that your losses are in the 100,000 gallon a day scenario, you’re looking at a well that can produce 80-100 GPM on a 24 hour constant pumping schedule during the hot part of the year. The wells in Newbury Springs are going to vary, but I’d shoot for 500’ as a good starting point. 100 GPM from 500’ is gonna be in the 20-30 hp category for a submersible. You’re gonna need an 8” cased and gravel packed well, for the 6” pump and motor for the well pump, I’d say you’re in the $75k-$100k bracket. Now, that’s not gonna be the expensive part. The electricity to run the well pump even with a drive will be like 100-150 amps at least. The other option would be to drill a bigger well, and run a turbine that will flow in the 500 GPM range, and not run it all day. You’re gonna be in the $200k range for something like that, but you could run it off a Diesel engine with a drive adapter. The biggest consumer of energy on the planet is pumping water. Not a big deal when you got a baller budget like some of the boys here on the RDP. if you wanna know more, pm me.


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Holy crap that’s a lot of water loss.


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[welldigger00]

Holy crap that’s a lot of water loss.


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Yeah, considering I used 100k gallons a day as a number, that would take in consideration”a lake of 3+ acres. You have do design and build for the worst case scenario to keep up with the water loss. So, how big a lake you want? It’s simple math at this point. 30 acre lake ? Drill 10 wells, or a handful of municipal type wells.


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[badluck]

I’ve always dreamed about building a private lake. Land in NorCal is too expensive and I feel like I’m running out of life and time. We ended up buying a house/building on a lake. I often still think about it though. If I win the lotto it would be on. I’ll be subscribing to this thread

 

[Blackmagic94]

Lake X

 

[Shrub Lurker]

Well girls and boys come on up to Sanger Ca and I can put you in touch with the dude south of me. He bought the ditch water rights from a couple neighbors and built what lake some of you are looking for and it’s divide able and for sale. Set up and ready to party at $2,000,000
I also have another neighbor that told me he would entertain selling but his lake isn’t on the mls.

I have a dude that may be able to arrange financing to fulfill your fantasy too.

Please talk to your mom, wife or significant other prior to IM ing me!

 

[LowRiver2]

Those lakes built for skiing with a slalom course are one boat rotations, the members take turns and get 15 or 20m each. Much more than 10 members the waiting time becomes too long. The lake above could accomodat several boats at a time unless ones a wakeboat, lol.

I just got offered to go halves on a home in newberry springs with these rules. I took a hard pass. Was told you put a flag on your dock to signal you want to ski?

 

[cofooter]

I just got offered to go halves on a home in newberry springs with these rules. I took a hard pass. Was told you put a flag on your dock to signal you want to ski?

Yes, then they go clockwise or counter clockwise and anyone with a flag takes their turn. If it is like our lake, it can get busy on weekends, but mid-week you usually have the place to yourselves and ski as much as you want.

 

[LowRiver2]

Yes, then they go clockwise or counter clockwise and anyone with a flag takes their turn. If it is like our lake, it can get busy on weekends, but mid-week you usually have the place to yourselves and ski as much as you want.

I was told you could go off-roading from the property as well.
The 15 minute rule supposedly was concrete in that even if the skier only skied for 5 minutes, next guy waited till 15 minute slot was over.
My want for AZ property is greater than a private lake. Great for skiers, I get it

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

I know of a waterski in Anderson California that could be bought for about a million. It also has Sacramento River frontage as well.

 

[Gelcoater]

This is my clients lake, the grandmother owns the rights. I believe every property is a family member. From what he tells me the water rights are grandfathered.


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Nick or Mitch?

That one is their families place. Their dad dug that hole. That house was the first house on the lake.

My wallet in in that lake somewhere, lol

 

[Gelcoater]

 

[Pelon]

I think one this size you could have up to 20 families. But I think ideally 10 would be better.

Now if you could triple this size you could fit a fair amount of people. My idea would be a place that you could go to and not have to deal with too many people. A lot of these lakes have 50-100 homes. Which seems like you spend more time waiting on others who are using the lake.

View attachment 877836 View attachment 877837

I think that is this lake. Was there a few weeks ago. They rent the one side out. The left side is for the home and lot owners. Sides are sloped to dissipate the waves. Cool place!