Bear Gulch Reservoir
Bear Gulch Reservoir is a reservoir in the town of Atherton, California. It is the main storage for the Bear Gulch District of the California Water Service, holding up to 215 million US gallons (810,000 m3) of water, and serving 55,501 people.[2] It is fed by water diverted by two dams on nearby Bear Creek.
| Bear Gulch Reservoir | |
|---|---|
  Bear Gulch Reservoir  Bear Gulch Reservoir | |
| Location | Atherton, California |
| Coordinates | 37°25′57″N 122°13′34″W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface elevation | 203 ft (62 m) |
| References | [1] |
As a drinking water reservoir, it is not open to the public, except for an annual event of fishing and picnicking it hosts for sick children from Ronald McDonald House in nearby Palo Alto, California.[3]
Mountain lions are occasionally sighted in the area of the reservoir.[4] The area of Bear Gulch Creek was named after an 1850 incident when a man hauling logs was mauled by a grizzly bear with cubs.[3]
If the reservoir dam fails, portions of Atherton and unincorporated West Menlo Park may be subject to inundation.[5]
This reservoir should not be confused with another one of the same name within Pinnacles National Park.
See also
- List of dams and reservoirs in California
- List of lakes in California
- List of lakes in the San Francisco Bay Area
References
- "Bear Gulch Reservoir". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-03-14.
- "BAWSCA Annual Survey – FY 2007-08" (PDF).
- Gulker, Linda Hubbard (2013-05-07). "Bear Gulch Reservoir hides in plain sight in Atherton, providing water for local residents". InMenlo. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
- Vigil, Delfin (2004-07-12). "ATHERTON / 100-pound cougar seen in Bear Gulch". The San Francisco Chronicle.
- "San Mateo County Hazards - Dam Failure Inundation Areas". Retrieved 7 August 2020.