Hidden Dam

{{Infobox body of water

| name = Hensley Lake & Hidden Dam

| image = Hensley Lake to Madera, California - Aerial (49394374028) (cropped).jpg

| caption = Aerial view of the lake

|pushpin_map=California

| location = Madera County, California, United States. Near Raymond.

| coords = {{coord|37.111025|-119.884330|region:US-CA_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}

| lake_type = Reservoir

| inflow = Fresno River

| outflow = Fresno River

| catchment =

| basin_countries = United States

| length =

| width =

| area = {{Convert|1500|acres}}

| depth =

| max-depth =

| volume = {{convert|90000|acre.ft|km3|abbr=on}}

| residence_time =

| shore = {{convert|20|mi|km|abbr=on}}

| elevation =

| reference =

}}

File:Lake Hensley Vista Point 1.jpg

Hidden Dam is an earthen dam on the Fresno River in Madera County, California. It creates a reservoir known as Hensley Lake.

Image:Lake_Hensley,_California,_2016_panorama_.jpg

The dam was constructed in {{start date and age|1974|p=y}} by the Perini Corporation as part of an expansive United States Army Corps of Engineers project for flood control, irrigation storage, and recreation.{{Cite web |url=http://findlakes.com/hensley_lake_california~ca10244.htm |title=Hensley Lake |access-date=2012-08-06 |archive-date=2012-11-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113100018/http://findlakes.com/hensley_lake_california~ca10244.htm |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/projects.cfm?Id=L268006 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-08-06 |archive-date=2004-10-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041020061337/http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/projects.cfm?Id=L268006 |url-status=dead }} The dam is {{convert|184|ft}} tall, is {{convert|5730|ft}} long at its crest, and is the only major storage dam of the Fresno River.

The reservoir it creates, Hensley Lake, has a water surface of {{convert|2.5|sqmi}}, over {{convert|20|mi}} of shoreline, and has a maximum storage capacity of {{convert|90000|acre.ft}}.{{Cite web |url=http://findlakes.com/hensley_lake_california~ca10244.htm |title=Hensley Lake |access-date=2012-08-06 |archive-date=2012-11-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113100018/http://findlakes.com/hensley_lake_california~ca10244.htm |url-status=dead }} In 1978 the lake was opened to day-use recreation, including water skiing, fishing, swimming, horseback riding, mountain biking, and hiking.{{Cite web|url=http://www.recreation.gov/recAreaDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&recAreaId=481&agencyCode=70902|title = Hensley Lake, California}} The [https://www.recreation.gov/camping/hidden-view/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=73203 Hidden View Campground] offers single and group camping year-round.

The lake is named for local settler and cattle rancher John Jackson Hensley.The Valley's Legends & Legacies III, by Catherine Morison Rehart, page 99

Eastman Lake, another Corps of Engineers lake, is located {{convert|15|mi}} to the northwest.