Mid-Week Rides: Reservoir Ride

Major WWWobble and the GS Boy Scout took a ride to the south bay to scope out the state of the California Drought. If the reservoirs of Santa Clara County are any indication we’re in sad shape. Dry (and warm) winter weather isn’t helping.

We headed south on I280 past downtown San Jose to Baily Ave. The first stop is Uvas Reservoir. What the images don’t show are temperatures in the low 70s. Yeah, we know the calendar says it it January.

(9) No Traffic SB 280

No Traffic SB 280
ISO 50 f/4.0 1/1000 0 ev 7.3mm

(10) Leaving San Jose

Leaving San Jose
ISO 50 f/4.0 1/1250 0 ev 7.3mm

(11) Winter?

Winter?
ISO 50 f/4.0 1/1250 0 ev 7.3mm

(12) Bailey Ave

Bailey Ave
ISO 50 f/4.0 1/800 0 ev 7.3mm

Uvas reservoir is, for all practical purposes, empty. A little bit of googling shows that as of the end of 2008 it was at less than 10% of capacity. Ouch. We remembered how it was 4 years ago when The Captain’s helmet decided to take a swim. [link] Things have certainly changed.

(14) Where's the water?

Where's the water?
ISO 200 f/11.0 1/400 0 ev 44.0mm

(14) Uvas Reservoir Dam

Uvas Reservoir Dam
ISO 200 f/11.0 1/200 0 ev 59.0mm

(1)

ISO 100 f/6.7 1/180 0 ev 18.0mm

(1)

ISO 100 f/9.5 1/180 0 ev 55.0mm

(14) Meandering creek

Meandering creek
ISO 200 f/11.0 1/250 0 ev 70.0mm

(14) I should be under water

I should be under water
ISO 200 f/11.0 1/250 0 ev 70.0mm

(2)

ISO 100 f/9.5 1/180 0 ev 28.1mm

(15) WWWobble shoots his bike

WWWobble shoots his bike
ISO 200 f/11.0 1/250 0 ev 85.0mm

(3)

ISO 100 f/6.7 1/180 0 ev 18.0mm

(15) Reservoir, west of road

Reservoir, west of road
ISO 200 f/11.0 1/125 0 ev 24.0mm

(4)

ISO 100 f/9.5 1/125 0 ev 50.0mm

(16) Uvas Reservoir looking N

Uvas Reservoir looking N
ISO 200 f/11.0 1/250 0 ev 56.0mm

After moving a few times to get various views of the Uvas Reservoir we headed north, then west passing Calero Reservoir. It is at about 40% of capacity. We then looped back south through New Almaden and made quick stops at both the Almaden Reservoir and the Guadalupe Reservoir. The pictures tell the story: Almaden: about 17% of capacity; Guadalupe: about 35% of capacity.

(17) Back on the road

Back on the road
ISO 50 f/4.0 1/1000 0 ev 7.3mm

(18) Calero Reservoir

Calero Reservoir
ISO 50 f/4.0 1/1000 0 ev 7.3mm

(5)

ISO 100 f/6.7 1/250 0 ev 18.0mm

(19) Almaden Reservoir Dam

Almaden Reservoir Dam
ISO 200 f/11.0 1/320 0 ev 22.0mm

(6)

ISO 100 f/8.0 1/60 0 ev 32.5mm

(20) Guadalupe Reservoir

Guadalupe Reservoir
ISO 200 f/8.0 1/250 0 ev 17.0mm

(20) GS

GS
ISO 200 f/8.0 1/400 0 ev 26.0mm

(7)

ISO 100 f/9.5 1/60 0 ev 21.3mm

(21) Guadalupe Reservoir Dam

Guadalupe Reservoir Dam
ISO 200 f/8.0 1/320 0 ev 50.0mm

The final stop of the day was at a small park on the east side of Lexington Reservoir. This is the largest of the group we visited, holding 19,044 ac-ft when at the spillway. It was at 979 ac-ft on Dec 29th, less than 5% of capacity. Reservoir capacity statistics from the Santa Clara Valley Water District.