Editing Lake County, California (section)

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1329|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1256|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|73|sqmi}}, or 5.5%, is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 26, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925144550/http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_06.txt|archive-date=September 25, 2015}}</ref> Two main watercourses drain the county: [[Cache Creek (Sacramento River)|Cache Creek]], which is the outlet of [[Clear Lake (California)|Clear Lake]]; and [[Putah Creek]]. Both of these flow to the [[Sacramento River]]. The main streams which flow into Clear Lake are [[Forbes Creek (California)|Forbes Creek]], [[Scotts Creek (California)|Scotts Creek]], [[Middle Creek (Lake County, California)|Middle Creek]], and [[Kelsey Creek (Lake County)|Kelsey Creek]]. At the extreme north of the county [[Lake Pillsbury]] and the Van Arsdale Reservoir dam the [[Eel River (California)|Eel River]], providing water and power to [[Ukiah, California|Ukiah]] in [[Mendocino County]].

Clear Lake is believed to be the oldest warmwater lake in [[North America]], due to a geological fluke. The lake sits on a huge block of stone which slowly tilts in the northern direction at the same rate as the lake fills in with [[sediment]], thus keeping the water at roughly the same depth. The [[geology]] of the county is chaotic, being based on [[Franciscan Assemblage]] hills. Numerous small [[Fault (geology)|faults]] are present in the south end of the lake as well as many old [[volcano]]es, the largest being [[Cobb Mountain]]. The geologic history of the county shows events of great violence, such as the eruption of [[Mount Konocti]] and Mount St. Helena and the collapse of [[Cow Mountain]], which created the hills around the county seat of [[Lakeport, California|Lakeport]]. [[Blue Lakes (California)|Blue Lakes]], Lake Pillsbury, and Indian Valley Reservoir are the county's other major bodies of water.

Lake County has [[habitat]]s for a variety of [[species]] of concern including the uncommon [[herb]], ''[[Legenere limosa]]'', the rare ''[[Eryngium constancei]],'' and the [[tule elk]]. Waterfowl, bear, and other wildlife abound in the [[Clear Lake (California)|Clear Lake]] basin.

Due to its surrounding hilly terrain, Lake County is the only one of California's 58 counties never to have been served by a railroad line.

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Glenn County, California|Glenn County]] - northeast
* [[Colusa County, California|Colusa County]] - east
* [[Yolo County, California|Yolo County]] - southeast
* [[Napa County, California|Napa County]] - southeast
* [[Sonoma County, California|Sonoma County]] - southwest
* [[Mendocino County, California|Mendocino County]] - west

===National protected areas===
* [[Mendocino National Forest]] (part)
* [[Cow Mountain Recreation Area]]
* [[Cache Creek Wilderness]] and Cache Creek Wildlife Area

In 2015, President [[Barack Obama]] created the [[Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument]], incorporating these and other areas.

===State protected areas===
* [[Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest]]
* [[Anderson Marsh State Historic Park]]
* [[Loch Lomond Vernal Pool Ecological Reserve]]
* [[Boggs Lake Ecological Reserve]]
* [[Clear Lake State Park (California)|Clear Lake State Park]]
* [[Rodman Slough Preserve]]

===Mineral springs===
In the late 19th century, the worldwide popularity of mineral water for the relief of myriad physical ailments resulted in the development of mineral resorts around Clear Lake.<ref name="sand">{{cite book |title=Lake County |last=Sanderson |first=Marcia |year=2005 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |location=Charleston, South Carolina |isbn=978-0-7385-3030-7 |pages=39–52 }}</ref>
* Greene Bartlett discovered [[Bartlett Springs, California|Bartlett]] [[hot springs]] in 1870. The springs were developed into a resort and by 1900 included a mineral water bottling plant. The resort burned down in 1934.<ref name="lch">{{cite web| url       =http://clearlake-cabins4rent.com/history.html| title       =LAKE COUNTY HISTORY| access-date       =September 8, 2012| url-status       =live| archive-url       =https://web.archive.org/web/20130831054720/http://clearlake-cabins4rent.com/history.html| archive-date       =August 31, 2013}}</ref>
* [[Harbin Hot Springs]] was developed by settlers in the 1860s and burned to the ground in the Valley Fire of 2015. The resort partially reopened in January 2019, including the main pools and sauna, and a limited cafeteria service.<ref name="reopen">https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/Harbin-Hot-Springs-opening-pools-reservations-fire-13535539.php Clothing optional resort Harbin Hot Springs reopens its pools 3 years after wildfire</ref>
* Highland Springs opened in 1891 and was destroyed by fire in 1945. During its time, Highland had an elegant dining room and a spacious hotel.<ref name="sand" />
* [[Saratoga Springs, California|Saratoga Springs Resort]] was opened by J. J. Liebert in 1873 with several cabins, and within two decades had room for 350 guests.<ref name="webtv" />
* [[Witter Springs, California|Witter Springs]] Resort opened in 1873 with a hotel and guest cottages.<ref name="webtv">{{cite web| url       =http://community-2.webtv.net/@HH!AA!91!4CAFDBA8D9BC/jbond008/lchist/page3.html| archive-url =https://archive.today/20130222214546/http://community-2.webtv.net/@HH!AA!91!4CAFDBA8D9BC/jbond008/lchist/page3.html| url-status  =dead| archive-date =February 22, 2013| title       =Lake County History Timeline| access-date       =September 8, 2012}}
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