On January 1, 2027, Senate Bill 1253 takes effect and lifts the rule that has kept swimmers out of Santa Margarita Lake for decades. Nothing changes on the water that morning. In its Santa Margarita body contact FAQ, SLO County Parks puts it plainly: "The County will not allow swimming on January 1, 2027."
New Year's Day is when the county gets permission to act. What the lake turns into will be settled later, at a Board of Supervisors meeting that is open to public comment and has not been held yet. People who fish, hike or camp out past the town on Pozo Road still have time to take part in that decision.
What the Governor's signature actually set in motion
The Governor signed SB 1253 on August 31, 2026. In his release, the bill's author, State Senator John Laird, said the law expands recreation while protecting water quality. The lake has been closed to swimmers because it is a drinking-water reservoir for the City of San Luis Obispo. County interim Parks and Recreation Director John Diodati described the change to KSBY: "That bill now is going to allow for body contact in Santa Margarita Lake which, effectively, is swimming. The lake has not allowed body contact, per state regulations, prior to now."
The law comes with conditions. According to the bill text, body-contact recreation is allowed only if the water gets complete treatment, meaning oxidation, filtration and disinfection, before it reaches homes. Testing for cryptosporidium, giardia and total coliform, including E. coli and fecal coliform, is also required at locations and frequencies set by the state. Results go to the water suppliers within 30 days, and operators can add their own public-health and safety restrictions.
The law also has an end date. It requires a report on recreational use and water-quality effects two years after state drinking-water approval, then every two years after that. The provision is set to sunset on January 1, 2032. That leaves roughly five years for the county to start swimming, track the results and report back. Each month spent on setup comes out of that window.
The steps between New Year's Day and a first swim
Based on the county FAQ, here is what has to happen first:
- County staff go to the Board of Supervisors for direction. They will bring a timeline, cost estimates, staffing needs and any infrastructure the lake would need.
- The county coordinates with partner agencies, which include the City of San Luis Obispo, CalFire, the Sheriff, Public Health, Public Works and several state agencies.
- The State Division of Drinking Water signs off on Santa Margarita Lake in particular. The city's treatment plant already handles water from Whale Rock, Nacimiento and Santa Margarita Lake using ozone, coagulation, flocculation, filtration and chlorine, and the county says no new technology should be needed. Even so, the state has to approve this specific lake.
- If the Board approves, staff carry out the bill's requirements along with any conditions the Board adds.
According to the FAQ, the earliest the public could get in the water is "summer of 2027 or later," and it could take longer depending on how quickly the requirements are met. The county's September 4 announcement said the same thing and invited residents to sign up for notices of future meetings and chances to comment.
The county also spells out what happens to anyone who swims early. Under the FAQ, swimming before official authorization can bring penalties under County Code Chapter 11.04.020, up to a misdemeanor punishable by as much as six months in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. We're passing along what the county has published. This is general information and not legal advice, so check the county's own materials or a qualified professional for your situation.
The list the county has already drafted
At the docks, the conversation is less about swimming itself than about what might come with it. In its FAQ, the county has already said what it has in mind, and it is careful to note that the Board makes the final call.
| Currently envisioned as allowed | Currently envisioned as prohibited |
|---|---|
| Swimming | Personal watercraft such as jet skis |
| Stand-up paddleboarding | Tow-behind activities: tubes, water skiing, wakeboarding |
| Windsurfing | Wake surfing |
| Sail or foil boarding | Any activity that erodes the shoreline or affects existing uses |
| Body-contact fishing, such as float tubes or wading |
Everything in the left column is quiet and powered by people or wind. The right column rules out the motorized, wake-making uses that worried anglers most. The county also says that if body contact is approved, it could look for funding to build designated swim areas reached from shore, "similar to Vista Lago Beach at Lopez Lake," though it is "too early to determine any amenities at this point."
Lopez Lake is the relevant comparison. Both Lopez and Nacimiento are drinking-water reservoirs that already allow body contact. Whale Rock does not. Santa Margarita Lake is moving from the Whale Rock group toward the Lopez group, and the county's draft keeps it at the calmer end of that range.
What people at the lake have said so far
Reporters went to the lake the week the bill was signed, and the people they talked with mostly worried about noise and wakes. Swimmers were a smaller concern. Creston resident Ted Ratcliff told KSBY that there are no Sea-Doos or skiing on the lake now:
"It's one of the most beautiful lakes ... and it's wonderful, so what are you gonna ruin it for?"
Eric Minks, who fishes the lake several times a week, told KSBY "it's not the swimming that's making waves" for his group. His worries were jet skis, wakeboarding, wildlife habitat, trash and partying. In the same story, Diodati said the county was not envisioning jet skis, waterskiing or wake surfing.
The Tribune found the same split between motorized uses and swimming. Lakewood angler Mike Byrum called wake boats "a catastrophe," and he and William Hogue both supported swimming in parts of the lake. Paso Robles angler Amber Aguilera thought swimming could bring added revenue and road repairs, saying "I think it'd be more good than bad." San Luis Obispo angler James Valdez said, "More folks would come and enjoy the lake."
Opposition is organized too. New Times SLO reported that a Cal Poly student started a petition asking the county to "stop, delay, restrict, and decline implementation," citing environmental, financial, wildlife and public-safety concerns. It had 343 signatures as of September 9.
The county FAQ also responds to a complaint familiar to anyone who drives the lake road, namely why money goes to swimming plans instead of fixing the park. The county says the body-contact planning has gone on for years without Parks and Recreation funds. Roads, parking lots, restrooms and playgrounds are paid for through a separate Facility Condition Assessment program that ranks needs countywide every year.
The lake you can use this winter
None of this changes a weekend trip between now and summer. On November 9, 2026, the county's water dashboard showed Salinas Reservoir, the official name for Santa Margarita Lake, holding 19,243.3 acre-feet. That is 86.2 percent of its 22,320-acre-foot capacity.
The county's current conditions page, last updated September 24, lists the Marina and White Oak launch ramps as open, along with the trails, Vaca Flats Road and Mackey Point. The Fish Station is listed as closed. The Marina Store is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Check that page before you go, since it posts closures as they happen.
Winter is a good season for the Natural Area. The county's trail listings include:
- Grey Pine, 3.3 miles one-way
- Blinn, 9.2 miles one-way, with the Sapwi spur leading to Khus and Sapwi camps
- Sandstone, 2.7 miles one-way
- Rocky, 1.8 miles one-way
- Lakeside, an unmarked 1.5 miles
Anglers fishing from shore, boat or canoe will find redear, trout, catfish, crappie and bluegill. If you're staying overnight, the county has posted a notice about increased bear activity in the campground. It asks campers to store food and scented items securely, keep away from wildlife and report concerning activity to rangers.
The Santa Margarita Lake page has the county's email sign-up for body-contact updates. That is where the Board meeting and any Parks and Recreation Commission hearing will be announced, and both are open to public comment.
If you own a home or rental near Santa Margarita and want to know how swimming at the lake in 2027 could affect it, The Franklin Team can go through it with you, from long-term leasing to how seasonal demand around the lake shifts over the year. Start with a home valuation, and we'll keep an eye on the county's decisions with you.
