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Folsom Lake - 5% Ramp
 7755 Folsom-Auburn Road, Folsom, CA 95630
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Max Depth: Over 150ft/46m
Average Viz: 5-10ft/2-3m
Bottom Composition: Sand
Aquatic Life: Might See Something
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Rating: 2.50 by 2 divers
Spring: 56-60°F/13-16°C
Summer: 66-70°F/19-21°C
Fall: 61-65°F/16-18°C
Winter: 56-60°F/13-16°C
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Folsom Lake - 5% Ramp is a fresh water dive site, located at 7755 Folsom-Auburn Road, Folsom, CA 95630. This dive site has an average rating of 2.50 out of 5 from 2 scuba divers. The maximum depth is over 150ft/46m. The average visibility is 5-10ft/2-3m.
Located at the base of the Sierra foothills, the lake and recreation area offers opportunities for hiking, biking, running, camping, picnicking, horseback riding, water-skiing and boating. Fishing offers trout, catfish, big and small mouth bass or perch. Visitors can also see the Folsom Powerhouse (once called "the greatest operative electrical plant on the American continent"), which from 1885 to 1952 produced 11,000 volts of electricity for Sacramento residents. The park also includes Lake Natoma, downstream from Folsom Lake, which is popular for crew races, sailing, kayaking and other aquatic sports.
A lot of people sneer at Folsom Lake for diving, even those who got certified there. For the most part, they are right. There isn’t much to see underwater and during certification it’s mostly descending to 30 feet or so and demonstrating skills. But diving the parking lot and the ramp was a lot of fun. It just felt so weird to dive over where we had parked just a couple of months ago. If you are a treasure hunter, bring a ditty bag, you just never know what you will find.
With the conditions we encountered, not only is Folsom Lake an enjoyable dive, but it’d also make a terrific place for underwater navigation on the parking lot, and for deep dive training by simply following the ramp down (it probably ends well below 100 feet when the lake is this high). And the price of admission is a grand total of twelve dollars for a day pass to the area.