San Luis Reservoir

{{Short description|Lake in Merced County, California, United States of America}}

{{Infobox body of water

| name = San Luis Reservoir

| image = File:Banks of San Luis Reservoir in July 2021 redux.JPG

| caption = The reservoir and nearby mountains in July 2021

| location = Merced County, California

| coords = {{coord|37.0679|-121.081|region:US-CA_type:waterbody_source:placeopedia | display=inline,title}}

| type = Reservoir

| inflow = San Luis Creek, Cottonwood Creek

| outflow = California Aqueduct

| catchment = {{convert|84.6|sqmi|abbr=on}}

| basin_countries = United States

| length =

| width =

| area = {{convert|12700|acre|abbr=on}}

| depth =

| max-depth =

| volume = {{convert|2041000|acre.ft|dam3|lk=on}}

| residence_time =

| shore =

| elevation = {{convert|544|ft|abbr=on}}

| islands =

| pushpin_map = California#USA

| pushpin_label_position =

| pushpin_map_alt = Location of San Luis Reservoir in California, USA.

| pushpin_map_caption =

| agency = U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and California Department of Water Resources

| website =

| reference = {{gnis|232446}}

}}

File:San Luis Reservoir 1.jpg

File:San Luis Reservoir.ogv

The San Luis Reservoir is an artificial lake on San Luis Creek in the eastern slopes of the Diablo Range of Merced County, California, approximately {{convert|12|mi|abbr=on}} west of Los Banos on State Route 152, which crosses Pacheco Pass and runs along its north shore. It is the fifth largest reservoir in California. The reservoir stores water taken from the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta. Water is pumped uphill into the reservoir from the O'Neill Forebay which is fed by the California Aqueduct and is released back into the forebay to continue downstream along the aqueduct as needed for farm irrigation and other uses. Depending on water levels, the reservoir is approximately {{convert| 9|miles|spell=in}} long from north to south at its longest point, and five miles (8 km) wide. At the eastern end of the reservoir is the San Luis Dam, the fourth largest embankment dam in the United States, which allows for a total capacity of {{convert|2041000|acre.ft|dam3|lk=on}}. Pacheco State Park lies along its western shores.

Completed in 1967 on land formerly part of Rancho San Luis Gonzaga, the {{convert|12700|acre|abbr=on}} reservoir is a joint use facility, being a part of both the California State Water Project and federal Central Valley Project, which together form a network of reservoirs, dams, pumping stations, and {{convert|550|mi|km|0}} of canals and major conduits to move water across California.{{cite report

|url=http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=San%20Luis%20Unit%20Project

|title=San Luis Unit Project

|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

|work=Central Valley Project

|date=2011-04-21

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111112091225/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=San%20Luis%20Unit%20Project

|archive-date=2011-11-12

|url-status=dead

}} The San Luis Reservoir is located in Merced County, and has a visitor center located at the Romero Outlook where visitors can learn more about the dam and reservoir. The surface of the reservoir lies at an elevation of approximately {{convert|544|ft|abbr=on}}, with the O'Neill Forebay below the dam at {{convert|225|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level. This elevation difference allows for a hydroelectric plant to be constructed - the Gianelli Hydroelectric Plant. Power from this plant is sent to a Path 15 substation, Los Banos via a short power line. Those 500 kV wires, carrying both the power generated here and elsewhere, leave the area and cross the O'Neill Forebay on several man-made islands.

San Luis Reservoir also supplies water to {{convert|63500|acre}} of land in the Santa Clara Valley west of the Coast Ranges.{{cite web

|url=http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=San%20Felipe%20Division%20Project

|title=San Felipe Division

|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

|work=Central Valley Project

|date=2009-06-17

|access-date=2016-12-28}} San Justo Dam stores water diverted from San Luis Reservoir through the Pacheco Tunnel and Hollister Conduit, which travel through the Diablo Range.{{cite web |url=https://www.usbr.gov/projects/index.php?id=392

|title=San Justo Dam |publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation |work=San Felipe Unit |date=2009-05-13 |access-date=2016-12-28}} The Santa Clara Tunnel and Santa Clara Conduit convey water to the Coyote Pumping Station in the Santa Clara Valley.{{cite web|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/03/01/failure-of-key-water-pipeline-into-silicon-valley-may-have-exposed-wider-problems/|title=Failure of key water pipeline into Silicon Valley may have exposed wider problems|date=1 March 2016|website=mercurynews.com|access-date=2 April 2018}}

History

San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area

File:Banks of San Luis Reservoir in July 2021.JPG

San Luis Reservoir is part of the larger San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area (California State Parks) and therefore offers many recreational opportunities for fishermen, boaters, and campers. The park is patrolled by California State Park Peace Officers by vehicle, vessel, and off-highway vehicle. In addition to camping and boating, day use picnic areas are available at San Luis Creek, and an off-highway vehicle (OHV) area is available east of the main area at the intersection of Gonzaga Road and Jaspar-Sears Road.

Camping is available at four campgrounds.

The Basalt Campground on the south-eastern edge of the lake with 79 developed family campsites. Water faucets are available nearby, and some sites can handle RV's to a length of {{convert|40|ft|m}}.
San Luis Creek Campground on O'Neill Forebay with 53 sites with water and electric hook-ups.
Medeiros Campground has primitive campsites along the southern shoreline of O'Neill Forebay. This campground has drinking water at three locations and chemical toilets.
Los Banos Creek Campground has primitive campsites and limited turn-around space. It is not suitable for trailers or motor homes. Drinking water and chemical toilets are available.

Improved boat launch ramps are offered at Dinosaur Point and the Basalt area. Due to the reservoir's water being imported from the Sacramento River Delta, San Luis shares many of its fish species with that area, including largemouth bass, striped bass, crappie, bluegill, shad, yellow perch, and occasional sturgeon and salmon.

The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has developed a safe eating advisory for fish caught in the San Luis Reservoir based on levels of mercury or PCBs found in local species.{{Cite news|url=https://oehha.ca.gov/advisories/san-luis-reservoir|title=San Luis Reservoir|last=Pham|first=Huyen Tran|date=2017-09-27|work=OEHHA|access-date=2018-06-13|language=en}} The lake is noted for its high winds and has wind warning lights at Romero Outlook, Basalt Campground, and Quien Sabe Point.

Climate

File:San Luis Reservoir aerial.jpg, with late afternoon shadows outlining the hills of the oak woodlands around it.]]

The National Weather Service has maintained a cooperative weather station at San Luis Dam since 1963. Based on those records, average January temperatures are a maximum of {{convert|54.3|°F|abbr=on}} and a minimum of {{convert|37.9|°F|abbr=on}} and average July temperatures are a maximum of {{convert|92|°F|abbr=on}} and a minimum of 64.0 °F. There are an average of 69.3 days with highs of {{convert|90|°F|abbr=on}} or higher and an average of 14.1 days with lows of {{convert|32|°F|abbr=on}} or lower. The record high temperature was {{convert|110|°F|abbr=on}} on July 24, 2006, and the record low temperature was {{convert|14|°F|abbr=on}} on December 22, 1990.

Average annual precipitation is {{convert|10.36|in|mm|abbr=on}}. There are an average of 57 days annually with measurable precipitation. The wettest year was 1998 with {{convert|25.06|in|mm|abbr=on}} and the driest year was 1989 with {{convert|4.88|in|mm|abbr=on}}. The most precipitation in one month was {{convert|9.03|in|mm|abbr=on}} in February 1998. The most precipitation in 24 hours was {{convert|3.70|in|mm|abbr=on}} on May 6, 1998. Snow rarely falls at the reservoir, but {{convert|1.2|in|mm|abbr=on}} of snow fell on January 9, 2001.{{cite web|url=http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ca7846|title=SAN LUIS DAM, CALIFORNIA - Climate Summary|website=www.wrcc.dri.edu|access-date=2 April 2018}}

References

External links

[http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=558 California State Parks]
[http://ludb.clui.org/ex/i/CA3020 The Center for Land Use Interpretation]
[http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/current/RES California Dept of Water Resources Daily Reservoir Storage Summary]