Crystal Springs Reservoir
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Crystal Springs Reservoir | |
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| Lower Crystal Springs Reservoir as viewed from the Sawyer Camp Trail | |
| Location | Santa Cruz Mountains San Mateo County, California |
| Coordinates | Lower reservoir 37°31′41″N 122°21′54″W / 37.5280°N 122.3650°WCoordinates: 37°31′41″N 122°21′54″W / 37.5280°N 122.3650°W Upper reservoir 37°29′57″N 122°20′20″W / 37.4993°N 122.3389°W |
| Lake type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | San Mateo Creek |
| Primary outflows | San Mateo Creek |
| Catchment area | 29.4 sq mi (76 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 1,323 acres (535 ha) |
| Water volume | 57,910 acre·ft (71,430 dam³) |
| Surface elevation | 85 m (280 ft) |
| References | U.S. Geological Survey Geographical Names Information System: Crystal Springs Reservoir |
Crystal Springs Reservoir is an artificial lake located in the northern Santa Cruz Mountains of San Mateo County, California situated in the rift valley created by the San Andreas Fault just to the west of the cities of San Mateo and Hillsborough, and I-280.
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[edit] Description
The entire reservoir consists of two different reservoir lakes, split by an earthen dam on which SR 92 crosses the reservoir. The southern reservoir, Upper Crystal Springs Reservoir, is dammed by the earth dam. The northern reservoir, Lower Crystal Springs Reservoir, is dammed by the Crystal Springs Dam (San Mateo County, California), which discharges to San Mateo Creek. Part of the water in the reservoir comes from local precipitation and the rest is piped in from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park. The entire reservoir was built and owned by a private company, in the form of the Spring Valley Water Company, and eventually was deeded under the ownership and protection of the city of San Francisco. This local protection has ensured the survival of important species in the area, and a set of trails in Crystal Springs Park allows many to enjoy the scenic beauty of the reservoir and the local wildlife.
[edit] Flora and fauna
A considerable biodiversity of flora and fauna exist in the vicinity of the reservoir, which is located within the California Floristic Province. Among these species are a number of rare and endangered species including Acanthomintha duttonii or San Mateo thornmint, Hesperolinon congestum (Marin Dwarf Flax) and Eriophyllum latilobum or San Mateo Woolly Sunflower.
[edit] See also
- Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct
- List of lakes in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Filoli - a historic estate on the reservoir
[edit] References
- Miles, Scott R; Goudey, Charles B. (1997). "Subsection 261Ag Leeward Hills". Ecological Subregions of California: Section and Subsection Descriptions. R5-EM-TP, 005. San Francisco: USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region. OCLC 38434607. http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/projects/ecoregions/261ag.htm.
- Department of Water Resources (2009). "Station Meta Data: Lower Crystal Springs Dam (CRY)". California Data Exchange Center. State of California. http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/profile?s=CRY&type=dam. Retrieved 2009-04-01.
