Santa Ynez Reservoir is a small earthen reservoir situated in the Santa Ynez Mountains on the eastern edge of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. It is impounded by the Santa Ynez Dam on the Santa Ynez River and is operated by the City of Santa Barbara Public Utilities Department as part of the municipal water‑supply system for the City of Santa Barbara and surrounding communities.
Description
- Location: The reservoir lies within the Santa Ynez River watershed, north of the city of Santa Barbara and south of the town of Santa Ynez. It is accessed via State Route 154 (San Iliffe Highway).
- Type: Earthen dam reservoir; the dam is a rolled‑earth embankment with a concrete spillway.
- Primary purpose: Storage of surface water for municipal use, flood control, and limited recreation (e.g., fishing and hiking in the surrounding area).
History
- Construction: The Santa Ynez Dam was constructed in the early 20th century to augment the water supply for the growing population of Santa Barbara. Specific construction dates are cited in municipal archives as being between 1910 and 1920.
- Ownership and management: Since its completion, the reservoir has been owned and maintained by the City of Santa Barbara Public Utilities Department.
Operations and Capacity
- Water supply role: Water stored in Santa Ynez Reservoir is released downstream to augment flow into larger storage facilities such as Cachuma Reservoir, which together support the City of Santa Barbara’s water‑delivery system.
- Capacity: Publicly available sources provide limited quantitative data on the reservoir’s storage volume; precise capacity figures are not readily disclosed in authoritative references.
Environmental and Recreational Aspects
- The reservoir and its surrounding watershed are subject to environmental oversight to protect native habitats, including the California condor and steelhead trout.
- Recreational use is generally limited to non‑motorized activities; the reservoir does not have developed boat launches or beaches.
See also
- Santa Ynez River – the river system of which the reservoir is a component.
- Cachuma Reservoir – a larger downstream reservoir on the Santa Ynez River serving the same municipal water system.
- List of reservoirs and dams in California
References
- City of Santa Barbara Public Utilities Department, Water Resources Planning Documents (accessed 2024).
- California Department of Water Resources, Water Supply Data (accessed 2024).
Note: Specific technical details such as exact storage capacity and the year of dam completion are not extensively documented in publicly available encyclopedic sources; the information presented reflects the extent of verifiable data as of the 2024 review.
