Calaveras Reservoir, Drinking water reservoir in Santa Clara County, California.
The reservoir extends across 1,267 acres with a 15-mile shoreline, receiving water from Arroyo Hondo and Calaveras Creek in the Calaveras Valley.
The initial dam from 1913 suffered structural failure in 1918, leading to construction of a replacement in 1925 that stood as the largest earth-fill dam worldwide.
The name Calaveras originates from Spanish, meaning skulls, reflecting the linguistic heritage of early California settlements in this region.
The reservoir serves as a municipal water supply for San Francisco, with most surrounding land remaining closed to maintain water quality standards.
A 1991 drought revealed an airplane wreckage and two skeletons from a 1963 crash, solving a decades-old missing persons case.
Location: California
GPS coordinates: 37.47850,-121.82260
Latest update: May 10, 2025 17:11
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