Santa Clara County Unveils Seismic Dam Drainage Plans: Report

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA – Santa Clara County officials have released plans to comply with orders from federal safety regulators calling for the drainage of Anderson Reservoir due to earthquake safety concerns according to a published report.

The Santa Clara County Water District will start draining the reservoir on Oct. 1, The San Jose Mercury News reports.

The district owns the county’s largest reservoir that sits between Morgan Hill and San Jose east of Highway 101.

Depending on weather conditions, the process of draining the 7-mile-long reservoir could be completed in about three months if the weather is dry or up to six months depending on how much rain falls, the report said.

The district’s board last month approved a plan that includes a 1,700-foot long tunnel that will eventually increase the district’s ability to release water during major storms or after an earthquake to protect the 70-year-old dam, the report said. The tunnel will cost $220 million.

Read more in The San Jose Mercury News.