The Morgan Hill Earthquake of April 24, 1984—Effects on Facilities of the Santa Clara Valley Water District
The Santa Clara Valley Water District (the District) is a public agency with flood control and water supply management authority in Santa Clara County, California. The District operates ten dams and reservoirs, two water treatment plants which supply potable water, 74 miles of large-diameter water distribution pipelines and 34 miles of small canals. Flood control facilities include 45 miles of streams channeled by levees and 17 miles of bayfront levees. Immediately after the earthquake, the District's Emergency Operations Center was activated. Major dams were inspected immediately by operations staff in accordance with standing instructions. The fundamental operations of the District were not interrupted by the earthquake in any significant way. Both water treatment plants operated continuously during and after the earthquake. Damage was limited to minor (functionally insignificant) surficial cracking at two embankment dams. Electronic distance measuring surveys indicated that a large existing landslide, on which one of the water treatment plants is located, moved as much as 13 mm as a result of the earthquake.