Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The grand Masonic Hotel.
Napier Art Deco Historic Precinct
Military Cemetery for North Korean Soldiers
Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts
Caesars Palace Spiral Escalators
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è Pasta... E Pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Our producer Manolo Morales would spend his final days perusing the shelves at Book Off.
Where Would You Go to Wait for the Apocalypse?
about 17 hours ago
This event showcasing the bounty of the Traverse City region’s amazing agriculture, craft, and creativity culminates with a Grand Tasting on August 23.
The Atlas Obscura Guide to Traverse City’s Event Season
1 day ago
She’ll get you and your little dog too.
Dear Atlas: Where Can I Explore Witch History Without the Kitsch?
1 day ago
How to Turn Your Road Trip Into a Nature Scavenger Hunt
1 day ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California Chula Vista Lower Otay Reservoir

Lower Otay Reservoir

The American rainmaker and a burst dam.

Chula Vista, California

Added By
NathanRisinger
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The type of plane that was found in the reservoir   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_...
The type of plane that was found in the reservoir   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_...
An Aerial View of the Reservoir   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Otay_Lake
Military Aircraft out of San Diego frequently fly over the reservoir  
Charles Hatfield  
Lower Otay Reservoir as seem from the street   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Most reservoirs have relatively mundane histories, filled with the steady accumulation and dispersal of water. Lower Otay Reservoir, an artificial lake in San Diego County California, however, bears a much more interesting history, one filled with death, intrigue and intimately tied to a curious man named Charles Hatfield.

The reservoir was originally filled after the completion of the Lower Otay Dam in 1897. Constructed by the California Mountain Water Company, the dam stood over one hundred feet high and was built of rock. In 1916, following several months of very heavy rains, the dam gave way, flooding the Otay Valley and killing fourteen people. While most would see this as an act of god, San Diego placed the blame for the burst dam was squarely at the feet of Charles Hatfield, also known as the "American Rainmaker."

Charles Mallory Hatfield was a salesman by trade, but in 1902 he came across a very curious item he could sell: rain. Having created a secret mixture of 23 chemicals he called a "Moisture Accelerator." Hatfield and his brother would burn this mixture and shortly after rains would come.

In reality Hatfield was likely just a very keen observer of weather patterns and he would come into towns, suffering from droughts to offer his services, when he knew a storm front was already on its way a few days away. But in 1915 this strategy backfired badly.

Commissioned by the County of San Diego to increase the average yearly rainfall. Hatfield, who was a known "rainmaker" and held contracts across the country, charged the city of San Diego roughly $1000 for every inch of rain he provided. Normally if no rain came, Hatfield would slip out of town, and everyone would forget about it. However in the case of San Diego the rains came, and came until the water flooded the area, burst two dams, and killed at least 18 people. Hatfield was never formally charged with any crimes, and he went on to work as a "rainmaker" for many more years until the depression when he was forced to return to selling sewing machines.

After the original dam blew out, a newer, arch-gravity dam was built to take its place. Recently, a local fisherman found an old WWII fighter-bomber on the bed underneath the water of the reservoir.

Related Tags

Water

Know Before You Go

Located in San Diego County just outside the city of San Diego

Community Contributors

Added By

NathanRisinger

Edited By

blimpcaptain

  • blimpcaptain

Published

August 23, 2010

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:1331877600721478::NO::P3_FID:245268
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Otay_Lake
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hatfield
Lower Otay Reservoir
2787 Sutter Ridge Drive
Chula Vista, California, 91914
United States
32.625261, -116.926136
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

La Mona

Tijuana, Mexico

miles away

El Foro Antiguo Palacio Jai Alai

Tijuana, Mexico

miles away

Hidden Murals of Lemon Grove

Lemon Grove, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of California

California

United States

Places 1,508
Stories 136

Nearby Places

La Mona

Tijuana, Mexico

miles away

El Foro Antiguo Palacio Jai Alai

Tijuana, Mexico

miles away

Hidden Murals of Lemon Grove

Lemon Grove, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of California

California

United States

Places 1,508
Stories 136

Related Stories and Lists

The Rainmaker

Podcast

By The Podcast Team

Related Places

  • View from Interstate 10 of Julian Hinds Pumping Plant on the aqueduct

    Vidal Junction, California

    Colorado River Aqueduct

    This extraordinary project brings water from the Colorado River to Southern California.

  • This scenic park on the shores of Lake Ontario is open 24/7.

    Toronto, Ontario

    Sundial Folly

    An enigmatic concrete structure in a lakeside Toronto park raises more questions than answers.

    Sponsored by Destination Toronto
  • A typical Khettara well.

    Fezna Ouled Jellal, Morocco

    Jorf Khettaras

    An ancient irrigation system that turned arid deserts into oases.

  • Water rushes through the upper reaches of the scar.

    Westmorland and Furness, England

    Ewbank Scar

    Water demonstrates its carving power along a Cumbrian trail.

  • Bottom of the visiting gallery showing the cross-section of the qanat after the fault. The metal structure symbolises the location of the P5 and the gallery digging into the stone.

    Walferdange, Luxembourg

    Raschpëtzer Qanat

    A Roman water tunnel still flows 2,000 years on.

  • The arch is visible below the surface

    Lleida, Spain

    Pont de Montiberri

    A river hides a charming medieval bridge.

  • Geneva, Switzerland

    Pointe de la Jonction

    Where two rivers meet—but don’t mix.

  • Steps lead down in to the water

    Brow Burn, Scotland

    Brow Well

    Mineral well linked to the final days of a beloved Scottish poet.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.