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889:. According to a non-profit environmental organization, Friends of Tolay Lake Park: The Tolay land acquisition is magnified by "this integrated effort to regain some of the connections and integrity of the area’s natural systems; together, their restoration will greatly improve the chances of survival for endangered marsh and upland species and will contribute to the overall health of
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complete collection of the building types involved in a broad function Sonoma County ranch, not dissimilar in function to its nineteenth-century predecessor. The county is analyzing alternative uses of some of the structures that not only offer preservation, but integration into the educational themes that are to embody the future Tolay Ranch
Regional Park.
591:. There are several ponds within the Tolay Lake Basin, including two large artificial ponds clearly separate from the lake; these ponds serve as watering sources for cattle and are also habitat to some of the native species of amphibians and reptiles associated with Tolay Lake. Another modern alteration is the construction of an east–west earthen
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The lake surface level is at an altitude of approximately 150 feet (46 m) above mean sea level, while the highest point in the watershed is on Cougar
Mountain on the eastern ridge, which attains an elevation of about 800 feet (240 m). At the southern end of the lake Tolay Creek provides a
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farming and other farming uses. In 2005 the Board of
Supervisors of Sonoma County entered into an option purchase agreement of the entire property for somewhat below the appraised land value. The Cardozas retain ownership to the considerable collection of charmstones found prior to the date of this
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described the lake in 1823, "We found on said hillock, a little further on, the large lake of Tolay—named after the chief of the Indian nomadic tribals "(Mr.Hukalaka Tolay), who in former times settled there. Its width at some parts is, with little difference, one hundred and fifty varas (420
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descent said: "The lake and surrounding area was highly sacred and was considered one of three areas in all of northern
California where Indian nomads from different tribes convened for sacred ceremonies and the exchange of ritual objects and songs for the purpose of healing." He also said the 1000
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For the lake itself, there is the prospect of greater size, depth and increased water circulation; additionally there is the potential of re-integration of the two lake segments, which are presently divided by the man-made earthen causeway. Breaching of this causeway would mitigate the effects of
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buildings, many of which date from the first half of the twentieth century. Most of these structures were erected by the
Cardoza family as integral elements of a working ranch. They represent an opportunity for preservation not only of an architectural style from this earlier era, but also as a
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and other native
Californians. It is known that this has been a regional gathering place for diverse tribes, probably associated with the beliefs that healing powers were derived from this lake. One of the main bases for this knowledge is the discovery of many prehistoric
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The Tolay Lake basin is a bowl-shaped structure confined by two north–south-running ridges of the southern Sonoma
Mountains. Tolay Lake is fed by 18 separate springs distributed around the perimeter of the lake, some of which develop into intermittent
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feeds Tolay Lake from the southeast. The winter maximum lake depth varies typically between four and eight feet (1 and 2 m) deep depending upon that season's rainfall. Tolay Lake functions more as a large freshwater marsh based upon extensive
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inhabitants in a faithful and sympathetic manner, and examining opportunities for cultural education. For example, this project offers an opportunity for the Native
American community to cultivate and restore large tracts of
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seasonal settlement. In 2005, Sonoma County acquired the entirety of the lake and virtually its whole drainage basin from the
Cardoza family for the sum of $ 18 million; the county's intention is to utilize the property as
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practices. Sonoma County is accepting public comment as of
February, 2007 to understand the views of scientists and the general public regarding the outcome restoration strategy and how that is balanced with some form of
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The Cardozas made further improvements to the ranch containing Tolay Lake and retained ownership until 2005. During the Cardoza tenure, numerous road and fence additions were made as well as well crafted
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881:. Ongoing vicinity acquisition efforts further expand the regional landscape of baylands restoration: Petaluma Marsh properties, Dickson Ranch, the New North Point former
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or would invoke enhanced crop yields. Some of these artifacts are situated in a small museum on site, and a number of them are within the permanent collection of the
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Because of the numerous natural fresh water seeps, wildlife is abundant in the Tolay watershed, including the upland areas. The valley harbors several significant
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charmstones discovered there, to date are: "the most significant discovery of cultural material for my people, but no doubt for all native people in California."
517:. The Tolay Lake basin's agricultural use expanded until about 1940 when the Cardoza family purchased the 1,737 acres (7.03 km) holding and called it the
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of the basin; at times thereafter, the lake typically became almost dry in the summer months, when rainfall in this region is at its seasonal
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of this area to its pre-European settlement condition. In that earlier era the lake would have been double its present size and native
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preservation, as well as public use and enjoyment. Tolay Lake and its immediate drainage area is home to several nesting pairs of
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Sonoma County exercised its option to purchase and to place this holding into the county's park system. After review of an
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447:. These archaeological findings received such widespread attention that the lake was at one time alternatively known as
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in which the native threw the stone into Tolay Lake, with the belief that this act rid the thrower of affliction or
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Dating to at least 4,000 years, habitation of the original Tolay Lake perimeter occurred on a seasonal basis by the
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marshes, which areas are known to comprise one half of all the wetlands capable of restoration in the entirety of
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enhancement has not been thoroughly investigated. Scientists know from studies in other areas that some animal
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Present in the Tolay Lake Basin are a number of well-preserved architectural features, most notably a set of
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a natural earth dam on the lake's south side, in order to enable more intensive agricultural cultivation and
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feet or 130 metres), at others two hundred varas (560 feet or 170 metres), and at one point one-fourth of a
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areas in the process of being enhanced. These efforts all link to the wetlands and uplands adjoining the
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that effectively bisects the lake, impeding thorough water circulation and fragmenting plant and animal
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that effectively bisects the lake, impeding thorough water circulation and fragmenting plant and animal
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are sensitive to man-made noise and may limit their use of certain locales heavily impacted by noise.
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1087:"Tolay Lake was a sacred site for Native American tribes. Then a farmer drained it with dynamite"
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of the lake. Annual rainfall in the Tolay Lake Basin is approximately 29 inches (740 mm).
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virtually perennial outlet; Tolay Creek thence flows in a southerly course to discharge into the
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The county is also actively consulting with representatives of Native American groups that are
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and creation of infrastructure, the park was fully opened to public access as of October 2018.
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Environmental Impact Report: Summary of major California environmental determinations for 2006
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in the lake bed. Evidence suggests that these stones were brought from distant parts of
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areas would have been in greater evidence, prior to the destructive force of cattle
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who used the site. These discussions are for the purpose of portraying the lives of
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change reduced the lake size by approximately 50 percent and enabled more intensive
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Sonoma County Agricultural and Open Space Agency: Acquisition of Tolay Lake Ranch
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In the mid-nineteenth century European settlers began to develop the Tolay Basin
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Tolay Lake restoration fits into a regional mosaic of open space, conservation
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bridge and wall structures; these changes were introduced to facilitate the
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County of Sonoma, Regional Parks Department: Tolay Lake Regional Park
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County of Sonoma Regional Parks Department: Tolay Lake Regional Park
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One of Sonoma County's primary purposes in acquiring the Tolay Lake
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that impeded outflow at the southern end of the lake, primarily by
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774:. Tolay Lake is also one of only two known locations in the
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Religious places of the Indigenous peoples of North America
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One of the anthropogenic ponds within the Tolay Lake Basin.
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News From the Conservation Community and the Natural World
497:. Initially the Europeans compromised the natural earthen
1147:
Sourcebook on the Environment: The Scientific Perspective
908:, immediately to the southeast; the potential effects of
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is found in Tolay Lake and the surrounding hills of the
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bridge circa 1900 over Cardoza Creek in the Tolay Lake
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Former Native American populated places in California
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on higher elevations especially in the steep upland
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Cardoza Ranch buildings on south side of Tolay Lake.
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Madrone Audubon Society, Sonoma County, October2004
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Tolay Lake Regional Park Property Conditions Report
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858:colonies and associated pressures of local colony
982:, U.S. government Printing Office, Washington DC
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945:List of Sonoma County Regional Parks facilities
360:Tolay Lake was initially altered about 1850 by
797:Looking across upper Tolay Lake from atop the
289:, nestled within the southern vestiges of the
1026:Tolay Lake Park: Natural and Cultural History
980:Sears Point, California 7.5 minute quadrangle
8:
1043:
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940:List of lakes in the San Francisco Bay Area
18:
1145:Charles S. Revelle and Penelope ReVelle,
656:Northern ridge above Tolay Lake showing
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1207:Wetlands of the San Francisco Bay Area
1124:, Circuit Rider Productions, July 2006
664:nest, with cows grazing in foreground.
1227:Native American history of California
692:areas. The lake itself has a diverse
459:Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria
7:
801:, showing introduction of unnatural
566:. The largest such stream known as
1197:Parks in Sonoma County, California
1192:Lakes of Sonoma County, California
676:; historical habitats include the
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1177:Friends of Tolay: Tolay Lake Park
1085:Minichiello, Susan (2021-04-15).
1007:, Bay Nature, January-March, 2005
978:United States Geological Survey,
16:Lake in Sonoma County, California
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1149:, Houghton Mifflin, 332 pages,
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33:View from south (February 2007)
778:that produce a special "moist
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482:, which is also its length."
293:, is the site of significant
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95:Show map of the United States
1232:Sacred lakes of the Americas
475:Mission San Francisco Solano
935:List of lakes in California
900:is the presence of a major
543:Environmental Impact Report
186:3,434 acres (1,390 ha)
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710:California red-legged frog
473:José Altimíra, founder of
335:California red-legged frog
255:not a well-defined measure
896:One drawback to the site
809:placed into the causeway.
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214:2.4 mi (3.9 km)
109:Sonoma County, California
38:
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1212:Grasslands of California
960:Wetlands Reserve Program
912:upon the future desired
303:Tolay Lake Regional Park
1061:"Sonoma County History"
686:California oak woodland
222:150 ft (46 m)
898:ecological restoration
819:ecological restoration
810:
680:or marsh environment;
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612:
603:Architectural/cultural
587:, the northern arm of
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513:as well as growing of
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194:8 ft (2.4 m)
138:38.20917°N 122.51389°W
65:Show map of California
930:Lakeville, California
829:and even some upland
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766:; and the endangered
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610:
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398:
351:Western burrowing owl
1091:Sonoma Index-Tribune
837:and other intensive
768:tricolored blackbird
764:Eremophila alpestris
700:, including several
575:and shallow depths.
495:Petaluma River Basin
143:38.20917; -122.51389
1003:Christine Sculati,
789:Habitat restoration
722:Actinemys marmorata
718:western pond turtle
638:purple needle grass
431:and as far away as
347:Actinemys marmorata
343:Western pond turtle
134: /
1050:, August 20, 2007.
1032:2008-04-03 at the
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737:Athene cunicularia
706:endangered species
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573:aquatic vegetation
559:
457:, chairman of the
445:Smithsonian Museum
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355:Athene cunicularia
331:endangered species
321:, and a number of
206:(1,500,000 m)
950:Napa Sonoma Marsh
891:San Francisco Bay
879:San Francisco Bay
772:Agelaius tricolor
749:white-tailed kite
745:Aquila chrysaetos
589:San Francisco Bay
581:Napa Sonoma Marsh
319:Aquila chrysaetos
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219:Surface elevation
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1202:Sonoma Mountains
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1063:. Archived from
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906:Infineon Raceway
799:earthen causeway
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674:Sonoma Mountains
381:earthen causeway
291:Sonoma Mountains
253:Shore length is
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156:Primary outflows
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753:Elanus leucurus
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648:Flora and fauna
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449:Charmstone Lake
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519:Cardoza Ranch
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283:United States
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275:Sonoma County
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1094:. Retrieved
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1069:. Retrieved
1065:the original
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839:agricultural
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741:golden eagle
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670:biodiversity
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658:oak woodland
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273:in southern
263:
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211:Shore length
199:Water volume
183:Surface area
955:Sears Point
850:fragmented
760:horned lark
633:prehistoric
625:descendants
463:Coast Miwok
455:Greg Sarris
421:charmstones
412:Coast Miwok
298:prehistoric
243:Settlements
202:1,200
162:Tolay Creek
141: /
129:122°30′50″W
116:Coordinates
1186:Categories
1096:2021-04-16
1071:2008-03-21
966:References
885:site, and
860:extinction
827:grasslands
757:California
702:threatened
682:grasslands
678:lacustrine
583:adjoining
538:contract.
507:hydrologic
429:California
425:arrowheads
327:threatened
307:ecological
279:California
268:freshwater
264:Tolay Lake
191:Max. depth
126:38°12′33″N
89:Tolay Lake
59:Tolay Lake
22:Tolay Lake
867:easements
815:watershed
627:of early
549:Hydrology
533:grazing,
527:dry stone
404:watershed
369:dynamited
247:Lakeville
1030:Archived
924:See also
914:wildlife
871:wildlife
831:forested
776:Bay Area
597:colonies
593:causeway
505:. This
503:dynamite
400:Drystone
385:colonies
365:settlers
362:European
105:Location
918:species
835:grazing
823:marshes
817:is the
807:culvert
780:prairie
729:species
564:streams
535:pumpkin
511:grazing
441:disease
391:History
373:grazing
285:. The
232:Islands
204:acre⋅ft
1157:(1974)
1153:
883:casino
856:faunal
852:floral
690:ravine
629:tribes
531:cattle
480:league
437:ritual
435:for a
433:Mexico
349:; and
805:from
783:grass
698:fauna
694:flora
617:ranch
515:crops
377:nadir
169:Basin
1151:ISBN
869:and
854:and
716:and
704:and
696:and
684:and
493:and
467:Pomo
416:Pomo
367:who
323:rare
309:and
305:for
287:lake
271:lake
237:none
893:".
785:".
499:dam
465:or
461:of
329:or
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