Vasona Reservoir, reservoir in Los Gatos, California
Vasona Reservoir is an artificial lake created by a dam built across Los Gatos Creek in 1935. The water body sits within a park covering more than 150 acres and offers walking paths, picnic areas, and fishing spots for bass, crappie, catfish, and bluegill.
The dam was completed in 1935 as part of a regional water storage plan approved by local voters in 1934. New gates were added in 1997 to improve safety and water level management at the site.
The name comes from a pony that Albert Vollmer, an early settler, brought to the area in the 1880s and named after a horse from his childhood. This personal origin of the name ties the place to the early story of local settlement.
The reservoir sits close to Los Gatos and is easily accessible from town. Swimming is not permitted, but walking, picnicking, and fishing are available anytime, while kayaks and canoes are allowed only on certain days.
The dam was built during the Great Depression as part of an infrastructure program that created jobs and improved community resources. This era of economic hardship shaped the development of many such construction projects across California.
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