Crystal Springs Reservoir

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Crystal Springs Reservoir
The Lower Crystal Springs Reservoir as viewed from the Sawyer Camp Trail
Location	San Mateo County, California
Coordinates	37°31′29″N, 122°21′48″W (Lower Crystal) 37°30′14″N, 122°20′46″W (Upper Crystal)
Lake type	reservoir
Primary outflows	San Mateo Creek
Basin countries	United States

Crystal Springs Reservoir is a reservoir located in the northern Santa Cruz Mountains of San Mateo County, California, United States. It lies in a rift valley created by the San Andreas Fault just to the west of the cities of San Mateo and Hillsborough, and I-280.

1 Description
2 Flora and fauna
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Description

The entire reservoir consists of two different reservoir lakes, split by an earthen dam on which SR 92 crosses the reservoir. The southern reservoir, Upper Crystal Springs Reservoir, is dammed by the earth dam. The northern reservoir, Lower Crystal Springs Reservoir, is dammed by the massive Crystal Springs Dam, which discharges to San Mateo Creek. Part of the water in the reservoir comes from local precipitation and the rest is piped in from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite. The entire reservoir was built and owned by a private company, in the form of the Spring Valley Water Company, and eventually was deeded under the ownership and protection of the city of San Francisco. This local protection has ensured the survival of important species in the area, and a set of trails in Crystal Springs Park allows many to enjoy the scenic beauty of the reservoir and the local wildlife.^[1]

[edit] Flora and fauna

A considerable biodiversity of flora and fauna exist in the vicinity of the reservoir,^[2] which is located within the California Floristic Province. Among these species are a number of rare and endangered species including Acanthomintha duttonii or San Mateo thornmint, Hesperolinon congestum (Marin Dwarf Flax) and Eriophyllum latilobum or San Mateo Woolly Sunflower.