. Independence Lake is home to one of only two remaining wild, self-sustaining populations of the
Lahontan cutthroat trout (
Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi), listed as a
threatened species under the
Endangered Species Act. It has been extirpated from almost the entirety of its historic range. Other fish species include the
brook trout (
Salvelinus fontinalis),
brown trout (
Salmo trutta),
kokanee salmon (
Oncorhynchus nerka), and
mountain whitefish (
Prosopium williamsoni). Independence Lake is unique among the lakes of the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada in that it still retains all its native fish species. Its dam keeps out invasive species that might otherwise enter from downstream, protecting its native populations. A "relatively pristine" ecosystem surrounds the lake, comprising a number of vegetation types characteristic of the
Sierra Nevada upper montane forest. The surrounding forests are dominated by
conifers such as the
white fir and
Jeffrey pine, joined by
red fir in the higher elevations. Scattered stands of
aspen dot the forest, but are threatened by encroachment from conifers, whose thick foliage impedes on the wide sun exposure the aspens need to thrive. It is thought that the past century of fire suppression has altered these forests' equilibriums, allowing the white fir to proliferate at the expense of the aspen and Jeffrey pine. ==History== Independence Lake sits within the traditional territory of the
Washoe people, who believed it to be bottomless. They have used it for approximately 9,000 years. In the mid-19th century, the lake became of interest to Europeans for the first time. Sources disagree on who named it, and when, but agree it was named on
Independence Day. It is most commonly believed that
Lola Montez named it on a trip there in 1853. Montez, a former mistress of
King Ludwig of
Bavaria, was forced into exile by the
revolutions of 1848 in Europe. She began traveling the world, and became well-known as an actress, dancer and entertainer. Upon arrival in California in early 1853, she made a home in the town of
Grass Valley, where she became a local personality.
Mount Lola, a mile west of the lake, is named for her. Augustus Moore, who built an early
stage station at the lake, is the other claimant; he said that he named the lake in 1862. In 1879, the lake was dammed for the first time. A wildfire in 1945 burned much of the forest around the lake. After subsequent logging, a new dam was built, increasing the lake's water capacity. In 1947, Sierra Pacific Power Company (now a subsidiary of
NV Energy) bought the land around it and closed the area to most public access. In the 1970s, Independence Lake became the latest focus of Disney's long-held aspirations of building a family-oriented ski resort and mountain village in the Sierra Nevada. For years they had worked on a proposal to develop the
Mineral King valley in the southern Sierra, but it faced increasingly long odds due to legal issues and environmentalist opposition. In 1971 the Forest Service recommended Independence Lake as a potentially promising alternative location for such a development. In 1974,
Disney partnered with Sierra Pacific to plan and develop a resort at Independence Lake, and in 1975 they began working with the Forest Service on a land-swap plan. The project received a mixed reception from local residents. At a public meeting where Disney was to present its plans, protesters picketed the entrance with signs bearing slogans such as "Don't Mickey Mouse Sierra County". Later that year, with local opposition growing, the county's Conservation Club, which had previously taken a neutral stance on the project, appealed to the
Sierra Club for assistance. Opponents of the project cited environmental concerns and fears that the remote rural area's limited facilities would be overwhelmed by the sudden population boom they anticipated. They also cited the impact such a population increase would have on the area's rural, small-town character. In 1978, citizens of
Nevada County,
Placer County and Sierra County formed a joint environmental organization to monitor the project. Later in 1978, amidst mounting opposition from local residents and environmental groups, Disney withdrew its applications and abandoned its aspirations. The
United States Congress passed a bill in 2008 directing the
Secretary of the Interior to allocate $9 million for "acquisition of the land surrounding Independence Lake" and "protection of the native fishery and water quality of Independence Lake as determined by [a nonprofit conservation organization acting in consultation with the Truckee Meadows Water Authority]". In April 2010, The Nature Conservancy purchased the property from Sierra Pacific to establish the Independence Lake Preserve. ==Conservation and management==