Yuba Lake
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Yuba Lake is a reservoir about 25 miles south of Nephi, Utah. Altitude is around 5100 feet. Click here for map. The lake is a popular water-ski destination. Surrounding the lake is sage desert with scattered Junipers. The interesting north shore is part rocky cliffs, part smooth beaches. There's a state park on both east and west sides of the lake. Picture: Yuba Lake from the eastern shore near the boat launch area. Bruce Argyle, September 15, 1999. |
| The Water: Yuba Lake has a silt problem. Visibility
varies sharply from area to area, but is never very good. The best site we found had
around 3 feet visibility. Visibility dropped dramatically at 23 feet, where we encountered
a silt and algae layer, to around one foot. At 30 feet, it was dark. Much of the bottom is
silty, with occasional rocks. Summer surface temperature is 70 degrees. Mike Engberson cruises through the green gloom at Yuba. This picture was taken at a distance of around 18 inches. Photo by Bruce Argyle, Nikonos V 20 mm lens, 2 YS-50 strobes. September 15, 1999. |
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Services: There are camping and picnic areas near the lake at the two state parks. The northwest corner has picnic tables along a very long stretch of nice beach. Nearest dive services are in Orem.
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Thermal protection: In the mid-summer, you'll be
comfortable in a farmer john if you stay shallow. In September, it was a full wetsuit,
minus the hood, for a water temperature of 66 degrees. A beer bottle nestles among the rocks. Photo by Bruce Argyle, Nikonos V 20 mm lens, 2 YS-50 strobes. September 15, 1999. |
| What to see: Not much. We spotted a school of small fish,
some carp, and one rapidly disappearing walleye. Algae growth on the branches of an old rabbit brush shrub. Photo by Bruce Argyle, Nikonos V 20 mm lens, 2 YS-50 strobes. September 15, 1999. |
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Regulations: Sorry, no spearfishing. (Except for carp.) Fees: There is a $4 state park fee. You can't get to the reservoir without entering the parks. |
| Seasonal variation: Being at fairly low altitude, this lake melts early. Temperatures are tolerable by mid-May. The lake remains diveable through November. |
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Our recommendation: There's a reason you don't hear much about diving Yuba. The visibility is awful, and there isn't much to see anyway. If you're in need of navigation dive training, this is a good lake for it. The northwest corner has a gradual slope, and with the bad visibility, it will certainly test your route-finding ability.
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Getting there: Click here for map.
East Shore: Take I-15 south to Nephi. At the south Nephi exit (222), exit on U-28. Head south through Levan. Watch for the Yuba Lake State Park sign about 13 miles past Levan. West Shore: Drive past Nephi on I-15. 20 miles later, get off at the Yuba Lake exit (202) and drive about 2 miles south to the lake. Mike Engberson (left) and Dominic Bria in the official Mad Scientist ski boat at Yuba. September 15, 1999. |
This dive site review was compiled September 1999 by Bruce Argyle, Dominic Bria, and Mike Engberson.
