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Lexington Reservoir

The reservoir above Los Gatos formed in 1952 by the James J. Lenihan Dam, which drowned the old towns of Lexington and Alma; now a county park for paddling, fishing and hiking.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District built the 195-foot earthen dam in 1952 to store water that would soak into the valley’s groundwater. Highway 17 was rerouted along its western edge.

It is the third-largest reservoir in Santa Clara County. The 914-acre county park allows rowing, paddling and fishing but not swimming, and the San Andreas Fault crosses Los Gatos Creek just south of the upstream end.

Sources

Questions people ask

Can you swim in Lexington Reservoir?

No. Rowing, paddling and fishing are allowed, but swimming is not.

What is under Lexington Reservoir?

The sites of the 19th-century towns of Lexington and Alma. Old roads, a 1926 bridge and foundations show when the water is low.

Related terms

  • Lexington and AlmaTwo mountain towns above Los Gatos, a sawmill town and a stage and rail stop, that were abandoned and flooded when Lexington Reservoir filled in 1952.
  • Los Gatos Creek TrailA 9.7-mile walking and cycling trail along Los Gatos Creek from Lexington Reservoir, past Forbes Mill and through Vasona, to Meridian Avenue in San Jose.
  • Los Gatos CreekThe 24-mile creek that rises near Loma Prieta, fills Lexington and Vasona reservoirs and flows through Los Gatos and Campbell to the Guadalupe River in San Jose.
  • Highway 17The winding mountain highway between Los Gatos and Santa Cruz, which runs through the middle of town; the stretch over the mountains is a designated safety corridor.

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