about Wood Ranch Reservoir (Santa Rosa, Thousand Oaks: insurance, houses, to buy)

[pianpian520]

i planned to buy a house in wood ranch area, and i noticed there is big dam there.

is that safe when the earthquake happened? and which part is more safer?

thank you for your insigh.

[Charles]

Wood Ranch Dam. Wood Ranch Dam is near the intersection of Olsen Road and the Moorpark
Freeway (Route 23) at the head of Sycamore Canyon. The dam was completed in 1965. It is an earth
dam, 146 feet high, and Bard Reservoir has a capacity of 11,000 acre-feet. Wood Ranch is the largest dam
in the Simi Valley area; in order to provide very early warning or potential structural problems, it is
instrumented to measure movement, settlement, and seepage. Piezometers and observation wells are also
monitored. The Dam and levees are also designed, operated, and maintained to prevent overtopping,
slumping, rapid draw down, and erosion. Furthermore, the Dam has been designed, constructed, and
retrofitted to withstand very strong shaking from a major earthquake. This design and construction is
based on a magnitude 7.0 Maximum Credible earthquake on the Simi-Santa Rosa fault, which is located
approximately 2.5 miles north of the dam site. Such design and construction measures ensure a very high
level of protection from seismic failure of the Dam.

from


http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...ALQoqO5PdA57Ww

You could query and insurance company and ask him to provide homeowners rates for two homes, one just below the dam, and one away from the danger area of a failed dam.

[user_id]

Wood Ranch is somewhat hilly, so if you're really worried about it just make sure you look at houses that are above the water level of the reservoir.

[pianpian520]

thanks for your opinion.

but i really can not figure out which part of wood ranch is above the water.

[jw2]

Originally Posted by pianpian520

thanks for your opinion.

but i really can not figure out which part of wood ranch is above the water.

Go up Presidential Dr from Madera (the road to the Reagan Library). When you get almost to the top, you can see Wood Ranch pretty well including the reservoir. It should be obvious which sections are in the path of the water in case of failure.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by pianpian520

thanks for your opinion.

but i really can not figure out which part of wood ranch is above the water.

Google Earth shows elevations.

[user_id]

If you can see the water you're above it

From what I recall, wood ranch is a bit like bowl so the middle would have the lowest elevation. If you drive around I think it should be pretty obvious which areas are above the water line and which aren't.

[nightlysparrow]

You can also see the dam from the Thousand Oaks side via the hiking trails.