Q: I was traveling with a friend recently from Gilroy to Santa Nella and we passed the full San Luis Reservoir on the trip. What a sight! There is a lot of construction going on near the face of the dam along Pacheco Pass. It must be a tremendous project, as there were trucks full of materials and a series of gravel, rock and dirt yards full of raw materials to be moved somewhere else, as well as trucks driving across the top of the dam. That was an area where you could see the Tule elk that have been able to make the dam and surrounding territory their home. I think they will move back into the hills and we might never see them again. Too bad. I hope you can find out what is going on.
Alma Gay Rush, Morgan Hill
A: It’s a $1.2 billion project to rebuild the largest dam in Santa Clara County in order to reduce the risk of the dam failing in a major earthquake. The San Luis Dam now impounds up to 2 million acre-feet of water in the San Luis Reservoir, the largest offstream reservoir in the United States.
Construction crews have started to dig a new outlet tunnel at Anderson Dam near Morgan Hill. The tunnel will be 24 feet high and 1,700 feet long and will allow the reservoir east of Highway 101 to be drained more quickly because of an earthquake, major storm or other significant incident.
The tunnel will be finished late in 2024, and a 13-foot-high pipe will be installed inside. Then the work will shift to tearing down the 240-foot earthen dam and replacing it with a new dam and concrete spillway that’s capable of withstanding a 7.2 magnitude earthquake.
That phase of the project won’t be finished until 2032.
Paul Rogers, natural resources and environment reporter for the Bay Area News Group, has written much more about the dam, including an article from last December, updating the progress on the project.
Q: I’m replying to a reader’s comment in one of your recent columns about headrests blocking the view when drivers turn their heads when backing up. I’m short, and when I turn my head, all I can see is the headrest. When I bought my current car, I removed the driver’s headrest and took it to an upholstery shop. They lowered its height by 6 inches, so I can see over it when I turn my head. When I rent a car, I remove the headrest and toss it into the trunk.
Sue Kayton, Menlo Park
A: Thanks for this recommendation for having your car’s headrest shortened. It’s one that others may want to try.
Look for Gary Richards at facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at [email protected].
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