After multiple delays, Santa Barbara County says the RV campground renovation project at Cachuma Lake is nearly finished and that the sites should be fully open later this year.

The $14.1 million Cachuma Lake RV Site Renewal Project, which involves upgrading recreational vehicle campsites and restrooms at the county park, has been under construction since December 2023.

County spokeswoman Kelsey Gerckens Buttitta said workers have already installed new pavement and finished landscaping the area. She added that workers are completing the final pieces of the project.

The county expects to fully reopen the RV campground section by the end of summer or early fall, she said.

The changes to the area will include new roads, concrete pads, power and sewage lines, wireless internet and improved restroom facilities for guests.

Crews also made the RV sites more spacious by decreasing the number of parking spots. After construction, the site will have a total of 105 spots for campers, according to the county.

Electrical hookups were also updated to 50 amps to support modern vehicles.

Many of those facilities haven’t been updated since they was built, around the 1950s, according to the county.

The county first closed the area for renovations in December 2023, and work on the project was scheduled to be completed in summer 2024. The reopening of the site was later delayed to December 2025. Now, it’s sometime in 2026.

“The Cachuma Lake RV Site Renewal Project has taken longer than expected because of extended winter rain events, the site is remote, and some key materials had extended supply‑chain delays,” Gerckens Buttitta told Noozhawk.

The first delays were caused by heavy rain in late 2023 and early 2024, which stalled construction. Kirk Lagerquist, director of General Services, told Noozhawk that workers had to wait for the ground to dry before they could continue construction.

He added that crews also discovered undisclosed septic tanks and systems at the site that had to be removed. Lagerquist said the park used to be a mobile home park before the county acquired it, and the tanks were not included in the original plans.

Even though the under-construction RV section of the campgrounds is still closed, the rest of the park and campgrounds are open to the public and taking reservations.

This is the third summer that the section has been closed for construction.

No Updates on Cachuma Swimming Rules

Summer is a busy season at the lake, and visitors are often disappointed that they cannot go swimming in the water.

Swimming in Lake Cachuma has not been allowed since the reservoir was created in 1953 because it is a major water source.

Santa Barbara County Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino said last year that the county should look into changing that rule.

Gerckens Buttitta said the county has not moved forward with those plans at this time.

To change the rule, county officials would reportedly need to ensure that the proper water treatment systems are in place before the water reaches the public.

The state legislature would also have to approve the change and add Lake Cachuma to the Health and Safety Code. Even though the county manages the recreational area, the lake itself is managed by the Bureau of Reclamation.