The Santa Clara Valley Water District established a policy 30 years ago to allow recreational uses of our reservoirs, as long as those activities do not harm the community’s water resources. The Santa Clara County Department of Parks and Recreation (County Parks) manages that recreational use.

In 1998, the Water District and County Parks – working with the community – agreed to halt personal watercraft (PWC) use on Anderson Reservoir and restrict boat and PWC launch numbers on Calero and Coyote Reservoirs to protect drinking water from contamination of the gasoline additive methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). MTBE contamination of surface water results from the incomplete combustion of gasoline in recreational watercraft.
On Jan. 1, 2004, MTBE was banned as a fuel additive and prohibited in the production of gasoline for sale in California. As of March 31 2004, MTBE is prohibited in fuel at all service stations in California.

Since MTBE is no longer allowed as a fuel additive in California, PWC regulation for MTBE is no longer required. The Water District and County Parks, working again with the community, re-opened Anderson Reservoir this season to PWC use. The District will continue to work with County Parks to ensure that other fuel contaminants are not detected in local reservoirs.

All new marine engines sold in California since 2001 are required to meet new, more stringent, emissions standards. The Water District and County Parks plan to work with the public and boating community to speed the phase out of the older technology marine engines over the next several years. As the older engines are phased out, launch numbers may be increased.

For more information on boating rules, park hours, and launch reservations, contact County Parks at (408) 355-2201 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or on-line at www.parkhere.org.

Download the Water District and County Parks' frequently asked questions about boating in Santa Clara County [PDF 54KB]