The Reno area is in a fortunate position during multiple years of drought because of a water reservoir system. It starts at Lake Tahoe, with five other lakes and reservoirs playing key roles in providing the water we use daily.

Under a contract with the federal government, the Truckee Meadows Water Authority (Reno area provider) can store billions gallons of water. The Boca reservoir has a surface area of approximately 980 acres with a total storage of 13.4 billion gallons of water when full.

Boca Lake was formed as a result of the construction of the Boca Dam on the Little Truckee River. The dam was part of the Truckee Storage Project, an initiative aimed at managing water resources for irrigation and municipal use in the region.

The lake takes its name from the now-defunct Boca town, which was once a bustling lumber and ice-harvesting community during the late 1800s. The remnants of this historical town add a layer of historical intrigue to the area, inviting visitors to ponder the past as they enjoy the natural surroundings.

Boca’s big claim to fame, however, was in a forgotten 19th-century industry: ice harvesting.

Have you ever thought about how we kept food and drink cold and preserved before we had electric refrigerators in our homes?

Well, harvested ice was the answer. Boca would freeze over in winter, and the ice would be sawed into blocks and shipped out.

Ice harvesting was a very large industry in America for over 100 years, from the early 1800s to the mid-1950s. It was called harvesting because it involved the gathering of a cold-weather “crop.” In 1900, ice business was the 6th largest industry in the USA.

Ice was delivered to homes, businesses and railroads for preserving food. Depending on the outdoor temperatures, the quality of insulation in the ice house and how many times the door of the icebox was opened, a home icebox may have needed re-icing a couple times a week, especially during the hot summer months.

To order more ice, customers would put a numbered card in the porch window to indicate how many pounds of ice were needed on delivery day. The delivery man would cut the block to the required size and deliver it into the icebox. The blocks usually had a thickness of 16-18 inches and were 22 inches square.

Cross-country railroad shipments of meat and produce may have needed to be re-iced every 200-300 miles along their summer routes.

Harvesting ice was a very hard and very cold job. Employees included part-timers, such as farmers and carpenters and anyone who did not have full-time winter work.

To begin the process, a horse-drawn plow would cut a grid on the lake surface that defined each block. Men would finalize the individual blocks by using breaker bars and 5-foot hand saws, but by the 1920s, circular blades on gas engines replaced the horses and plows.

The cost was 25 cents per 100 pounds in the 1930s. But remember, wages were maybe 25-30 cents per hour.

In 1914, the U.S. used 24 million tons of manufactured ice and 26 million tons of natural ice.



Ice demand declined through the World War II years. By the mid-1950s, the ice business was almost gone.

At the present time, besides being water storage Boca Reservoir is an ideal spot to visit for family fun with great fishing, hiking, camping and boating.

Providing a number of recreational opportunities, this is a spot popular with locals and travelers alike. The Sierra Nevada Mountains surround you with their beauty while you enjoy the clean, pine-scented air.

Boca Lake is a haven for outdoor activities year-round. In the warmer months, the lake is a hotspot for fishing, boating, and swimming. Anglers are particularly drawn to Boca Lake for its abundance of fish species, including rainbow trout, brown trout, and kokanee salmon. The surrounding Boca Reservoir Wildlife Area offers hiking and mountain biking trails, providing stunning views of the lake and the Sierra Nevada landscape.

During the winter, Boca Lake and its surroundings transform into a winter wonderland. Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling are popular activities that attract visitors looking to experience the tranquility of the snowy wilderness. The diverse recreational opportunities make Boca Lake a versatile destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike.