U.S. Senate Approves Bill to Create Museum
Near Diamond Valley Lake
October 6, 2000

Washington, DC – The U.S. Senate last night unanimously approved legislation, sponsored by U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), to create an interpretive center and museum near Diamond Valley Lake. Diamond Valley Lake is a reservoir that is being built in an unincorporated area of Riverside County, outside Hemet.

A similar version of the legislation has been approved by the House of Representatives and the bill will become law upon the signature of President Clinton. The interpretive center and museum will ensure the protection of the prehistorical resources uncovered during the lake's construction. Discoveries have included a mastodon skeleton, a mammoth skeleton, a seven-foot long tusk, and bones from extinct species previously not believed to have lived in the area, including the giant long-horned bison and North American lion.

“Not only will visitors be able to learn about the archaeological and paleontological past of inland Southern California, but they will also be able to enjoy unprecedented recreational opportunities” Senator Feinstein said. “This legislation will create a new system of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails that will surround the reservoir, allowing visitors to enjoy the many resources of the Diamond Valley Lake.”

The total cost of the project is estimated to be $58 million. Under the legislation, the federal government would be authorized to contribute $14 million toward the project. The remaining $44 million would be divided equally between the state and local governments, and the Metropolitan Water District.

The Diamond Valley Lake was dedicated on March 18, 2000. Once completed, it will be 4.5 miles long, more than 2 miles wide, 160-260 feet deep, and have a capacity of 800,000 acre-feet of water. The lake will provide critical water storage south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and almost double Southern California's water surface storage capacity. For California, this new storage of water will mean fewer water shortages during droughts and peak summer months.