Fern Ridge Lake, a popular recreation area for sailing, power boating and water skiing, is just 12 miles from downtown Eugene. Six park sites and several remote access points around the lake offer a variety of day use recreation opportunities such as picnicking, swimming, fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing. A private concession on the peninsula at the south end of the lake has overnight camping sites. The Fern Ridge Dam was completed in 1941 and provides needed flood control. The area includes extensive wetlands and provides unique habitat for a variety of wildlife and wintering waterfowl populations.