Coyote Lake (Santa Clara County, California)
Coyote Lake is an artificial lake in Santa Clara County, California, between Morgan Hill and Gilroy.
The reservoir is impounded by Coyote Dam, a high, long, earth and rock dam built in 1936. It holds 23,244 acre feet of water when full. It is the second largest reservoir owned by the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
A 4,595-acre county park surrounds the reservoir, and provides camping, fishing, picnicking, and hiking activities. Swimming is not allowed by order of the Santa Clara Valley Water District. Power boating, jetskiing, waterskiing, sailing, canoeing/kayaking and fishing are all allowed in the reservoir. 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 for any fish caught in the Coyote lake due to elevated levels of mercury.
