Santa Clara

Rains Cause South Bay Reservoirs to Runneth Over

The South Bay’s cup runneth over.

The South Bay’s cup runneth over.

After a wet "Rainuary," reservoirs are teeming with water as the region heads into three rounds of storms, according to data from the Santa Clara Valley Water District.

Strong winds and rain are expected on Wednesday, storm two is expected on Friday morning and round three is expected to hit on Sunday.

The Uvas River, for example, is at 101-percent capacity in Morgan Hill. The Almaden Reservoir is at nearly 80 percent capacity, the Lexington Reservoir is at 93-percent capacity and the Coyote Reservoir is at 89-percent capacity. But they could be even more full that what the numbers show, explained spokesman Marty Grimes, because the district is actively releasing water from all of its reservoirs to make room for this week's rain. Don't try to get a picture of the spillways, though; the water is being released via valves at the bottom of the dams, he said.

That’s great news for residents who want drinking water, but a cause for concern for those who live nearby.

During the last storm, the nearby Silva Crossing flooded in Gilroy, shutting down a portion of US Highway 101 on Jan. 9, forcing residents of an RV park to evacuate to avoid the rising water.

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