US Army General Stephen W. Kearny's troops fought against those of Mexican General Andres Pico. There has long been a special documented significance to the lake. The river feeding the lake had run through the Del Dios valley for over 40,000 years. The idea was to make a much bigger lake by damming the drainage of Lake Hodges, thus providing a large, reliable water source for the developing Rancho Santa Fe area. 1918 - Construction finishes daming the end of Lake Hodges to create a much larger lake.
Water levels begin to rise .
Via a 4.6 mile long flume , water flows to the San Dieguito Reservior. It was originally called the Bernardo Station Bridge. 1921 - Two mines next to the lake begin extracting local rock using heavy equipment. Rumors that the Navy may have been conducting underwater tests on early submarines were denied by a U.S. Navy spokesman. Four days apart, both mine owners have their heavy rock extraction equipment pushed over or partially crushed.