The Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department is
installing a temporary launch ramp that will enable boating this
summer at the county’s largest and most popular boating lake.
While the early rains and wet spring weather have delayed completion of major facility improvements under way at Anderson Reservoir, the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department is installing a temporary launch ramp that will enable boating this summer at the county’s largest and most popular boating lake.
Scheduled for completion in mid-June, the temporary ramp will allow as many as two boats to launch at a time, with a sidewalk. The temporary ramp will be roughly the same size as the ramp that closed for reconstruction last year and will function until the permanent four-lane launch ramp can be constructed later in the fall.
Construction personnel working on the temporary ramp have been unable to say yet when the project may be completed because of unforeseen weather delays, but anticipate that construction could end by mid-June. They suggest boaters check the Parks and Recreation’s web site at www.parkhere.org or call (408) 355-2260 for updates.
The temporary ramp consists of about 100 feet of heavy gauge wire mesh that continues past the pavement, extending into the water to provide traction for vehicles regardless of the lake’s level. The paving process takes about 21 days, and began last week. When the paving is complete, two 100-foot docks will be set in place. Construction will resume on the new, permanent launch ramp when the lake levels drop at the end of the boating season, forecast for some time in for October.
The original boat ramp, built in the mid-1950s, was in need of major repairs. In 2001 the county Parks and Recreation Department received a $3 million grant from the state Department of Boating and Waterways to renovate and improve Anderson Lake County Park. The renovation includes major reconstruction of Anderson’s boat-launch ramp, parking area and supporting boating facilities. The funding comes from license fees paid to the state by boat owners in the county.
When complete, renovations and improvements will include a new 60-foot wide, four-lane concrete boat-launching ramp. Already complete and ready to open this season are a new protection wall and turn around area; new rail guided boarding floats; expanded parking areas with more than 100 vehicle/trailer parking spaces, 15 single parking spaces for improved traffic flow and safety and a new overflow parking area; re-paved interior roadways to boat launching and parking areas; a new permanent six-unit restroom facility; and improved electrical lines, storm water drains, signs, telephones, and other improvements.
Anderson Lake County Park, located east of Morgan Hill off Dunne Avenue, is the site of Santa Clara County’s largest reservoir. It can hold 89,073 acre-feet of water – more than the combined storage of the Santa Clara Valley Water District’s other nine reservoirs in the county.
The 3,109-acre park also features the Live Oak and Toyon group picnic areas, Woodchopper Flat day-use area, the Moses L. Rosendin Park and the Burnett Park area. Anderson Reservoir, a seven-mile long, 1,250 surface-acre lake, also provides opportunities for power and non-power boating and fishing.
On the Net: Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department’s Web site: www.parkhere.org.
