Tolay Lake is a shallow
freshwater lake in southern
Sonoma County,
California,
United States. The
lake, nestled within the southern vestiges of the
Sonoma Mountains, is the site of significant
Native American prehistoric seasonal settlement. In 2005, Sonoma County acquired the entirety of the lake and virtually its whole drainage basin from the Cardoza family for the sum of $18 million; the County's intention is to utilize the property as
Tolay Lake Regional Park for
ecological and
archaeological preservation, as well as public use and enjoyment. Tolay Lake and its immediate drainage area is home to several nesting pairs of
golden eagles,
Aquila chrysaetos, and a number of
rare,
threatened or
endangered species including the
California red-legged frog,
Rana draytonii;
Western pond turtle,
Actinemys marmorata; and
Western burrowing owl,
Athene cunicularia.