Helix Water District has launched its ninth annual Lake Jennings Spring Photo Contest to share the beauty of its reservoir with the local community. The contest is open to photos taken at Lake Jennings between March 1 and May 31, 2020.

Contest participants can get a free day pass to explore and photograph the scenic reservoir located in Lakeside. The 2020 contest theme is Life at the Lake. Photos can capture any aspect of the lake including camping, fishing, lake vistas, wildlife and wildflowers.

The district will award monetary prizes in two divisions, adult and youth. First place winners in each division will receive $150, second place winners will receive $100 and third place winners will receive $50. Awards will be presented at a public board meeting in June.

Judging will be performed by a panel of Helix Water District staff and will be based on this year’s theme, visual appeal, technical quality and creativity.

Entries must be submitted digitally to lakejenningsphotocontest@helixwater.org by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 31. There is a limit of three photo submissions per photographer, and photos may not contain watermarks. The complete set of rules and entry and model release forms are available at http://www.lakejennings.org/photo-contest/.

“The contest is open to all skill levels,” said Lake Recreation Manager Kira Haley. “We’re looking forward to seeing all the lake has to offer through their lenses, and we hope the contest brings new visitors to Lake Jennings. It’s a great escape just 20 minutes from downtown.”

Last year’s competition garnered 60 entries. In addition to the top prizes, judges awarded four honorable mentions. Winning photos from the 2019 contest were posted to the Lake Jennings Facebook page.

Helix Water District provides water treatment and distribution for over 277,000 people in the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa and Lemon Grove, the community of Spring Valley and areas of Lakeside — east of downtown San Diego. Helix also provides treated water to neighboring Padre Dam, Otay and Lakeside water districts. Lake Jennings is one of two reservoirs that Helix Water District owns. It is located in Lakeside and has a storage capacity of 8,195 acre-feet. Recreation activities at Lake Jennings include camping, hiking, fishing and boating.

Kids Day at Lake Jennings is Saturday, February 8, from 6 a.m. to noon. We’re stocking the Kids Pond and all kids under 10 can catch a free fish until the fish run out.

This is the only opportunity to fish the Kids Pond this year, so don’t miss out. And, if you don’t want the fun to end at noon, rent a boat, or better yet reserve a campsite and spend the evening around the fire.

For more information go to facebook.com/lakejennings