Study shows massive earthquake could cause Anderson Dam to fail

A study performed for the Santa Clara County Water district indicates that the the largest dam in Santa Clara County could collapse in a major earthquake. DOWNLOAD STUDY

A 6.6 magnitude quake centered directly at Anderson Reservoir near Morgan Hill, or a 7.2 quake centered one mile away, could cause the reservoir's 240-foot-high earthen dam to fail.

In the worst case, a complete failure of Anderson Dam could send a wall of water 35 feet high into downtown Morgan Hill within 14 minutes, and eight feet deep into San Jose within three hours. READ MORE