Coyote Lake (Santa Clara County, California)

Coyote Lake
Aerial view, May 2014
Location of Coyote Lake in California, USA.
Location of Coyote Lake in California, USA.
Coyote Lake
Location of Coyote Lake in California, USA.
Location of Coyote Lake in California, USA.
Coyote Lake
LocationSanta Clara County, California
Coordinates37°05′39″N 121°32′13″W / 37.09417°N 121.53694°W / 37.09417; -121.53694
TypeReservoir
Primary inflowsCoyote Creek
Primary outflowsCoyote Creek
Catchment area119.8 sq mi (310 km2)
Basin countriesUnited States
Managing agencySanta Clara Valley Water District
Max. length3.5 mi (6 km)
Max. width0.5 mi (0.8 km)
Surface area635 acres (2.6 km2)
Water volume23,666 acre⋅ft (29,192,000 m3)
Surface elevation774 feet (236 m)[1]
References[2][1]

Coyote Lake (also known as Coyote Reservoir) is an artificial lake in Santa Clara County, California, United States, between Morgan Hill and Gilroy.

The reservoir is impounded by Coyote Dam, a 140-foot (43 m) high, 980-foot (300 m) long, earth and rock dam built in 1936. It holds 23,244 acre feet (28,671,009 m3) of water when full. It is the second largest reservoir owned by the Santa Clara Valley Water District.[2]

A 4,595-acre county park ("Coyote-Bear") surrounds the reservoir,[3] and provides camping (RVs and tents), fishing[4] ("catch-and-release"), picnicking, and hiking activities. Swimming is not allowed by order of the Santa Clara Valley Water District.[5] Power boating, jetskiing, waterskiing, sailing, canoeing/kayaking and fishing are all allowed in the reservoir.[6] The boat launch ramp is located two miles north of the visitor center. It has two docks, a three-lane concrete ramp, paved parking and a restroom. For fisherman, the lake contains bluegill, black crappie, channel catfish, carp and black bass. The reservoir is closed to all boating between mid-October and mid-April.

The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has issued a safe eating advisory for any fish caught in the Coyote lake due to elevated levels of mercury.[7]

  1. ^ a b "Coyote Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference SCVWD-Reservoirs was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference SCCPRD-CoyoteLake was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference SCCPRD-FishingGuidelines was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference SCVWD-Reservoirs-Swimming was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference SCCPRD-BoatingGuidelines was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Admin, OEHHA (2019-08-12). "Coyote Lake". oehha.ca.gov. Retrieved 2019-08-14.