Silverwood Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California is part of the State Water Project (SWP), storing water for Inland Empire cities such as San Bernardino and Riverside. The water is conveyed to Silverwood Lake via the SWP’s East Branch Aqueduct. 

Formed by the 249-foot-high Cedar Springs Dam, Silverwood Lake was constructed between 1968 and 1971 to provide water storage and recreation and assure flows through the Devil Canyon Powerplant near San Bernardino.

The lake is part of the Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area (SRA). According to the California Department of Water Resources, Silverwood Lake, at 3,350 feet, is the highest elevation of any reservoir in the State Water Project. 

Updated January 2026.