Beloved Nevada fishing lake is full again

A beloved fishing spot in eastern Nevada is full again.

Cave Creek Reservoir at Cave Lake State Park is below a dam that was constructed in the 1930s that needed repairs. Today, after a project that began in 2019, the reservoir is back to its former glory. The Nevada Department of Wildlife is adding 17,000 fish t0 it to restore populations, it said in a Tuesday news release.

Officials decided to drain the lake in 2021 for safety reasons, and it reached its lowest point in January 2022.

Planning is underway for a June 7 celebration called Rediscover Cave Lake. Nevada State Parks, the state wildlife department and White Pine County will host the event together.

Officials warn visitors to look out for debris from excess vegetation that grew when the lake was dry.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers still lists Cave Creek Dam, near Ely, as one of Nevada’s 162 dams considered to be “high hazard,” meaning they could cause loss of life and extensive property damage if they failed. It’s considered to be in poor condition, according to the National Inventory of Dams.

The dam’s condition hasn’t been inspected since August 2022, and a wildlife department spokeswoman said she didn’t know when the federal government would inspect it again.

Contact Alan Halaly at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.