Coyote Creek, CA: Beautiful Nature Excursion in Santa Clara County!

Coyote Creek is actually a river that runs through Santa Clara County. It is over 63 miles long, and was previously named Arroyo del Coyote when it was first discovered in 1776. The river begins on Mount Sizer and flows all the way into the San Francisco Bay. There are two dams at the lower end of the creek, and the creek also supports 9 large tributaries.

Coyote Creek winds a long way before reaching the San Francisco Bay. On its way, it courses from Anderson Lake to Morgan Hill and Coyote Valley, then through the Santa Cruz Mountains, San Jose, and finally through part of Fremont. It has to also run through three tributaries and a landfill before reaching its final destination.

Flooding Issues With Coyote Creek

This is a very long and powerful creek, and has had many problems over the years, such as flooding. There is also a potential failure of the two dams that awaits, if a large earthquake were to hit. One major natural disaster occurred in 2017, when the creek was effected by an overflow in the Anderson Reservoir. This flood caused issues in the San Jose area when it flooded neighborhoods, as well as US Highway 101.

This was the worst flood in more than 10 years. Many people in the lower lying areas had to evacuate their homes in fear of the flooding. It caused damage to not only the low lying areas, but many problems for the animals in the area. In the end, the damage from the flood cost more than 100 million dollars.

There have been numerous studies done on the surrounding dams and how much an earthquake could affect them. They showed that if the area was hit by an earthquake with a magnitude greater than 7.25, many areas would be damaged by the water. In response to this, the dams now only hold a maximum of 54 percent of their total water. Much more needs to be done in order to make sure the areas around the creek are truly safe.

In Coyote Creek, you will find the most varied fish population in the whole area. The creek supports many different types of fish including the Pacific lamprey, Chinook salmon, and Tule perch. The area’s fish life has been greatly affected by the many dams and channels that were being built. Because of this, they have stopped building around the creek.

Another man-made issue that is affecting the creek is water pollution. Studies have shown that runoff from urban areas have been contributing to rising levels of toxic substances in the water.

Coyote Creek is a very historic waterway that has many benefits, and serves a vital purpose to all the areas it runs through. It serves as a home to not only many different kinds of fish, but also a large amount of wildlife. The effects that the creek has on the areas it encompasses cannot be measured.

Many things, such as earthquakes and flooding, change the creek from time to time, creating havoc on surrounding areas. Yet this creek is still one of the greatest waterways located in the state of California.