Middle Lake

In the heart of Golden Gate Park, just blocks from the sea, a group of reservoirs were dug out of the sand dunes capturing local aquifer water and acting as an important irrigation source for the Park.  That was 1898, and the large clay-lined basins have supported the transition of the park from sand dunes to mixed Cypress, Pine, Eucalyptus forest, ever since. 

Years later, falling into disrepair, the site has been restored thanks to Recreation and Park leadership through the GGP Middle Lake Rehabilitation park improvement project implementation.

CAN! came in to support the Middle Lake Rehabilitation program, interpreting designs and species placement, staging plants, supporting soil preparations and finally physically planting over 10,000 California native plants in the acres-large reservoir.  

The project was completed in 2024 and boasts an incredible increase of habitat and watershed infrastructure investment in SF’s largest park.  Although these are reservoirs (human-made and engineered lakes) the value can be measured in the incredible biodiversity of species found on site.  Visit Middle Lake today to see the 55+ species of California native riparian (riverside) plants that are thriving.