Santa Clara Valley Water Sets Limits for Boats on Reservoirs

The Santa Clara Valley Water District said that as of September 8 the number of personal watercraft and other boats with two-stroke engines will be rationed at two county reservoirs. No more than 40 personal craft plus 26 fishing boats will be allowed on any one day at the Calero reservoir. At Coyote Reservoir, the allowance is 25 boats.

MTBE concentrations at the 648-acre Coyote Reservoir had risen from an average of 6 ppb to 11.8 ppb during the past seven weeks, prompting the district to take its action.

On July 7, the water district and the county parks and recreation department temporarily banned two-stroke engines on Calero Reservoir after testing showed high levels of MTBE.

Since banning of the two-stroke engines from the 347-acre Calero Reservoir, MTBE levels dropped from an average concentration of 15.7 ppb in June to 3.7 ppb in August.

With the restrictions on two-stroke engines at Coyote, county officials lifted the total ban at Calero Reservoir. The restrictions will be in place until the end of the boating season on October 31.