Coyote Lake (Santa Clara County, California)

Coyote Lake (also known as Coyote Reservoir) is an artificial lake in Santa Clara County, California, between Morgan Hill and Gilroy.

Coyote Lake
Aerial view, May 2014
Coyote Lake Show map of California Coyote Lake Show map of the United States
Location	Santa Clara County, California
Coordinates	37°05′39″N 121°32′13″W
Type	reservoir
Primary inflows	Coyote Creek
Primary outflows	Coyote Creek
Catchment area	119.8 sq mi (310 km2)
Basin countries	United States
Managing agency	Santa Clara Valley Water District
Max. length	3.5 mi (6 km)
Max. width	0.5 mi (0.8 km)
Surface area	635 acres (2.6 km2)
Water volume	23,666 acre⋅ft (29,192,000 m3)
Surface elevation	774 feet (236 m)[1]
References	[2][1]

The reservoir is impounded by Coyote Dam, a 140-foot (43 m) high, 980-foot (300 m) long, earth and rock dam built in 1936. It holds 23,244 acre feet (28,671,009 m3) of water when full. It is the second largest reservoir owned by the Santa Clara Valley Water District.[2]

A 4,595-acre county park ("Coyote-Bear") surrounds the reservoir,[3] and provides camping (RVs and tents), fishing[4] ("catch-and-release"), picnicking, and hiking activities. Swimming is not allowed by order of the Santa Clara Valley Water District.[5] Power boating, jetskiing, waterskiing, sailing, canoeing/kayaking and fishing are all allowed in the reservoir.[6] The boat launch ramp is located two miles north of the visitor center. It has two docks, a 3-lane concrete ramp, paved parking and a restroom. For fisherman, the lake contains bluegill, black crappie, channel catfish, carp and black bass. The reservoir is closed to all boating between mid-October and mid-April.

The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has issued a safe eating advisory for any fish caught in the Coyote lake due to elevated levels of mercury.[7]