Date: Jan. 21, 2004

UPDATED with photos on Feb. 20, 2004

San Pedro Ponds walking trails open to public this Saturday

MORGAN HILL — City officials, representatives from the Santa Clara Valley Water District and local residents will dedicate a 20-acre oasis of walking trails Saturday in east Morgan Hill.

The San Pedro Ponds Walking Trails, at the intersection of Hill Road and San Pedro Avenue, will allow residents to roam paths around a half dozen ponds on 20 acres. Aside from helping keep South County’s groundwater basin filled for local well-users, the ponds are home to several species of waterfowl.

The walking trails are made possible through a joint-use agreement between the city and the water district, with support from a citizens group calling itself the San Pedro Ponds Park Trails Public Access Committee.

A dedication ceremony begins at 10 a.m. at the Hill Road entrance to the ponds (across from Sundance Drive). Mayor Dennis Kennedy will introduce water district Director Rosemary Kamei and Councilman Steve Tate before unveiling a plaque that will be placed at the ponds.

The San Pedro groundwater recharge area is comprised of seven ponds averaging 16 feet in depth. The ponds receive water imported from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers Delta that is used to replenish the Llagas Subbasin – South County’s primary source of drinking water.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District manages Santa Clara County's wholesale drinking water resources, coordinates flood protection for its 1.7 million residents and provides stewardship for the county's 10 reservoirs and more than 700 miles of streams.