Lake Success is a man-made lake created in 1961 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed Success Dam. Although the dam was created primarily to control flooding downriver, it also serves as a recreational spot and a source of water for local farms. Indeed, much of the wide, arid valley west of Sequoia National Park and National Forest could be described as a commercial-agriculture region. Most of the orchards, farms, and ranches in this area serve as suppliers to major food companies found in many major grocery store companies.