San Antonio Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Antonio Reservoir |
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Aerial view of San Antonio Reservoir
|
|
 San Antonio Reservoir
Location in California
San Antonio Reservoir
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Alameda County, California |
| Coordinates | 37°34′52″N 121°49′42″W / 37.58118°N 121.82825°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | San Antonio Creek |
| Primary outflows | San Antonio Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
The San Antonio Reservoir is a large artificial lake located in Alameda County, California. It sits about three miles southeast of a town called Sunol. This reservoir was created to store water for the people of San Francisco.
It was built in 1964 and is an important part of the region's water system. The reservoir is formed by a structure called the James H. Turner Dam. This dam holds back the waters of San Antonio Creek.
Contents
What is the San Antonio Reservoir?
A reservoir is like a giant bathtub built by people to store water. The San Antonio Reservoir is one such place. It holds water that comes from different sources. One main source is the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct, which is a huge pipeline bringing water from far away mountains.
The reservoir also collects water from local wells and the surrounding land, known as a watershed. A watershed is an area where all the rain and snowmelt drain into a common body of water.
How much water does it hold?
The San Antonio Reservoir can hold a lot of water! Its full capacity is about 50,500 acre-feet. To give you an idea, one acre-foot is enough water to cover one acre of land (about the size of a football field) with water one foot deep. That's a huge amount of water for drinking and other uses.
Why was the reservoir built?
The main reason the San Antonio Reservoir was built was to make sure the City and County of San Francisco had enough water. As cities grow, they need more and more water for homes, schools, and businesses. Reservoirs help store water during wet seasons so there's enough during dry times.
The James H. Turner Dam
The James H. Turner Dam is a key part of the reservoir. It's a large wall built across the San Antonio Creek. This wall stops the water from flowing freely and instead creates the large lake behind it. Dams are important for controlling water flow and creating reservoirs.
Can you visit San Antonio Reservoir?
Unlike some lakes or parks, the San Antonio Reservoir is not open to the public. This means people cannot go there for fishing, boating, or hiking. Its main purpose is to store clean drinking water, so access is restricted to protect the water quality.
