Calaveras Creek (California) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Calaveras Creek |
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 Location of the mouth in California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | Alameda County, Santa Clara County |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | 8 miles (13 km) east of Milpitas 37°25′53″N 121°44′49″W / 37.43139°N 121.74694°W |
| River mouth | Alameda Creek 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Fremont 427 ft (130 m) 37°30′13″N 121°49′17″W / 37.50361°N 121.82139°W |
| Length | 8.5 mi (13.7 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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Calaveras Creek is a stream that flows north in California. It runs through parts of Alameda and Santa Clara counties. The creek is about 8.5 miles (13.7 kilometers) long.
It starts near Poverty Ridge. Then, it flows through the Calaveras Reservoir. Finally, it empties into Alameda Creek. This meeting point is east of Fremont, California. A smaller stream called Arroyo Hondo also flows into Calaveras Creek.
The Calaveras Dam and Fish
A large structure called the Calaveras Dam was built on the creek. It was first built in 1925. The dam was rebuilt in 2018 to make it safer and stronger.
For many years, there were rules about how much water the dam could release. These rules were put in place to help fish. Specifically, they aimed to protect a type of fish called steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). These trout live in the 20 miles (32 kilometers) of Calaveras Creek below the dam.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) manages the dam. They started releasing water steadily from the dam. This helped to lower the water temperature in the creek. Cooler water is better for trout. As a result, the number of trout in the creek increased a lot! This shows how managing water can help wildlife.
