High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Lake Yosemite is an artificial freshwater lake located approximately five miles (8 km) east of Merced, California in the rolling Sierra Foothills. UC Merced is situated approximately half a mile (0.8 km) south of Lake Yosemite. The university is bounded by the lake on one side and two canals (Fairfield Canal and Le Grand Canal) run through the campus.