Pacheco Reservoir Expansion Project

Pacheco Dam

Pacheco Reservoir (Image courtesy of Santa Clara Valley Water District

Applicant: Santa Clara Valley Water District
County: Santa Clara
Water Quality Certification Status: Awaiting Application
Waterbodies: North Fork Pacheco Creek and Pacheco Lake

Project Description:North Fork Dam, which is owned and operated by Pacheco Pass Water District, is located on the North Fork Pacheco Creek in Santa Clara County, approximately half a mile upstream of the confluence of Pacheco Creek and North Fork Pacheco Creek.  North Fork Dam is a 100-foot tall and 600-foot wide earthen dam that impounds Pacheco Lake and provides 5,500 acre-feet of water storage for irrigation, domestic consumption, and groundwater recharge.  To expand water storage availability in Pacheco Lake, Santa Clara Valley Water District is proposing the Pacheco Reservoir Expansion Project (Project) to remove North Fork Dam and construct a new, larger dam two miles upstream of North Fork Dam on North Fork Pacheco Creek.  The new dam will add approximately 134,800 acre-feet of storage in comparison to the existing Pacheco Lake.
The Project involves the removal of North Fork Dam and the construction of:  1) a 1,840-foot wide hardfill dam with a 440-foot long ogee spillway; 2) a 140,300 acre-foot reservoir; 3) a two-way pump station capable of pumping water up to 490 cubic feet per second to connect the reservoir to the Pacheco Conduit; 4) an electrical substation and 4.1 miles of new 70 kilovolt transmission line; 5) Six miles of access roads.  Additionally, the Project involves restoration of the existing Pacheco Lake footprint into 1.5 miles of channel.
The Project is Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP). Additional information on WSIP Projects can be found on the State Water Board’s WSIP Webpage

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