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78-806: The ridge trails offer views of Santa Clara Valley and of the valley in which the park is located. Some trails in the park are a part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail ; the Todd Quick trail connects with the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority 's 1,600-acre Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve . Equestrians and mountain bikers have access to some of the park's trails, while others are reserved for hikers only. Cross-country and distance track teams from high schools around North San Jose, mainly Piedmont Hills High School , and occasionally James Lick High School and Independence High , use

156-779: A National Historic Landmark . The climate of the Santa Clara Valley in California is a Mediterranean climate with warm, very dry summers and mild, fairly rainy winters. Today, the Valley attracts many people from the East Coast with its warm and sunny climate. The Santa Clara Valley receives on average 330 sunny days per year . The northern areas of the valley (such as Palo Alto or Mountain View ) have greater marine influences with temperatures rarely rising above 85 °F (29 °C) while in

234-588: A narrow-gauge railway to the park from downtown San Jose began in 1891. In late 1891, or early 1892, a gasoline powered locomotive built by the Best Manufacturing Company arrived. This was the first internal combustion locomotive built in the western United States, though it was only a limited success and was returned to Best in 1892. By 1896, 8 miles (13 km) of track had been completed from 26th Street up Santa Clara and Alum Rock Avenues to Kirk Avenue and thence upstream along Penitencia Creek into

312-404: A restaurant , and various other buildings. Many of the springs were enclosed in stonework grottos, and stone bridges were built across the creek. Due to overuse, some of the springs became extinct, and surviving ones became very weak, producing very little output. Private residents have access to the publicly-owned road. They enter the park and continue on to the rear parking lot. At the end of

390-636: A city nestled in the mountains. The highest peak on the Santa Cruz Mountain Range side of the valley is Loma Prieta at 3,790 feet. The highest peak in the Diablo Range side of the valley is Mount Hamilton , specifically Copernicus Peak at 4,370 feet elevation. It is the highest peak in Santa Clara County . The valley is a graben between the San Andreas and Hayward faults. During

468-464: A collection of live teaching animals, including several injured and non-releasable hawks and owls that are found in the region. The center offers nature and science school and group programs, after-school science and summer camp programs. Animals that are commonly found throughout the park are displayed in the center. There is an exhibit of taxidermy birds that is sectioned off into owls, hawks, seabirds, and waterfowl. Animal remains are set up throughout

546-424: A depth of 5.7 miles (9.2 km). The Hayward Fault and Calaveras Fault converge close to Alum Rock Park. One effect of the earthquake was to cause a previously dried spring to begin flowing again . On February 20, 2017, heavy rain storms caused fallen trees, landslides and flooding resulting in the park to close. The valley has abundant mineral springs , which were touted as beneficial to people's health. In

624-504: A heat source for thousands of years. In the 20th century, they became a renewable resource of geothermal energy for heating homes and buildings. The city of Beppu, Japan contains 2,217 hot spring well heads that provide the city with hot water. Hot springs have also been used as a source of sustainable energy for greenhouse cultivation and the growing of crops and flowers. Springs have been represented in culture through art, mythology, and folklore throughout history. The Fountain of Youth

702-474: A kind of mythic quality in that some people falsely believe that springs are always healthy sources of drinking water. They may or may not be. One must take a comprehensive water quality test to know how to use a spring appropriately, whether for a mineral bath or drinking water. Springs that are managed as spas will already have such a test. Springs are often used as sources for bottled water. When purchasing bottled water labeled as spring water one can often find

780-495: A lower elevation and exit in the form of a spring, using the ground like a drainage pipe. Still other springs are the result of pressure from an underground source in the earth, in the form of volcanic or magma activity. The result can be water at elevated temperature and pressure, i.e. hot springs and geysers . The action of the groundwater continually dissolves permeable bedrock such as limestone and dolomite , creating vast cave systems. Spring discharge, or resurgence ,

858-660: A major crop, with the valley was producing the majority of prunes in California by 1900 and shipped internationally. Water was supplied from an artesian aquifer and when the water table dropped, wells were pumped. Many orchards were small with housing and fruit growing in a dispersed pattern. By the 1920s and 1930s, the agricultural and horticultural industries were doing well in the valley and included 18 canneries, 13 dried-fruit packing houses, and 12 fresh-fruit and vegetable shipping firms, and they were shipping internationally. Del Monte and Sunsweet are two brands which originated in

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936-407: A mixture of sulphur, magnesia, and arsenic, which has been found very beneficial in cases of rheumatism , Bright's disease , and other kidney and stomach troubles and malarial affections." Through those years and as late as the 1970s, the park featured a natatorium (a huge, indoor swimming pool filled with heated sulfur water), dozens of private heated mineral baths that visitors could rent,

1014-652: A rate of at least 2800 liters or 100 cubic feet (2.8 m ) of water per second. Some locations contain many first-magnitude springs, such as Florida where there are at least 27 known to be that size; the Missouri and Arkansas Ozarks , which contain 10 known of first-magnitude; and 11 more in the Thousand Springs area along the Snake River in Idaho . The scale for spring flow is as follows: Minerals become dissolved in

1092-783: A regular column in the San Francisco-based The Daily People's World for the workers. San Francisco had a strong labor union tradition which thrived in Santa Clara County. During the " March Inland " organizing drive the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) backed the Cannery and Agricultural Workers' Industrial Union (CAWIU), a Communist -controlled union headquartered in San Jose, which had considerable success organizing farm and cannery workers in

1170-471: A source of fresh water , especially in arid regions which have relatively little annual rainfall . Springs are driven out onto the surface by various natural forces, such as gravity and hydrostatic pressure . A spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater is known as a hot spring . The yield of spring water varies widely from a volumetric flow rate of nearly zero to more than 14,000 litres per second (490 cu ft/s) for

1248-572: A union which genuinely represented cannery workers. The fruit industry gradually recovered, and by the early 1940s, prosperity returned to the valley. Wartime production associated with World War II brought industry to the valley such as building of marine engines for Liberty ships by the Joshua Hendy Iron Works , now Northrop Grumman Marine Systems in Sunnyvale ; landing craft were built by Food Machinery Corporation , which later built

1326-536: A vast tract of land stretching from Palo Alto to Gilroy, was founded by Franciscans in 1777. San Jose was California's first town and was also founded in 1777 by Spain as an agricultural pueblo. There were 66 original settlers. In Spanish and Mexican times the land was devoted to cattle, as was most of California. Following the Mexican–American War San Jose was briefly the capital of California. The influx of Americans resulted in relocation of many of

1404-511: Is a mythical spring which was said to restore youth to anyone who drank from it. It has been claimed that the fountain is located in St. Augustine, Florida , and was discovered by Juan Ponce de León in 1513. However, it has not demonstrated the power to restore youth, and most historians dispute the veracity of Ponce de León's discovery. Pythia, also known as the Oracle at Delphi was the high priestess of

1482-523: Is a valley that has undergone the wearing away of the Earth's surface by natural agents. The underlying geology of the Santa Cruz Mountains was also formed by the sediment of the ancient seas, where marine shale points to Miocene origin. Today, evidence of this is still found in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where shark 's teeth and the remains of maritime life are still found as high as Scotts Valley ,

1560-468: Is active from dawn to dusk. Larger wildlife includes black-tailed deer , gray foxes , bobcats , and the occasional mountain lions . There has been an increase in the mountain lion population in the San Francisco Bay Area . Smaller wildlife would include the darkling beetle , Eurypelma californicum ( tarantula ), black widow , and Pacific tree frog . Two species of lizards that are native to

1638-407: Is determined by the spring's recharge basin. Factors that affect the recharge include the size of the area in which groundwater is captured, the amount of precipitation, the size of capture points, and the size of the spring outlet. Water may leak into the underground system from many sources including permeable earth, sinkholes, and losing streams . In some cases entire creeks seemingly disappear as

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1716-576: Is greater than human body temperature, usually in the range of 45–50 °C (113–122 °F), but they can be hotter. Those springs with water cooler than body temperature but warmer than air temperature are sometimes referred to as warm springs. Hot springs or geothermal springs have been used for balneotherapy , bathing, and relaxation for thousands of years. Because of the folklore surrounding hot springs and their claimed medical value, some have become tourist destinations and locations of physical rehabilitation centers. Hot springs have been used as

1794-411: Is said to result in the absorption of the minerals from the water. Some springs contain arsenic levels that exceed the 10 ppb World Health Organization (WHO) standard for drinking water . Where such springs feed rivers they can also raise the arsenic levels in the rivers above WHO limits. Water from springs is usually clear. However, some springs may be colored by the minerals that are dissolved in

1872-464: Is that "it is divided transversely by a scarcely noticeable soil-covered divide ." The northern portion is drained northward by various rivers and creeks into San Francisco Bay. The southern portion of the valley is drained southward by Llagas Creek into the Pajaro River , which in turn flows westward to Monterey Bay . As one travels across the valley floor, "the alluvial plain is continuous across

1950-687: Is within the park but the City of San Jose has marked this part of the park as off limits since the 1980s. The creek from the south is Arroyo Aguague and originates in Grant Ranch. Although a couple miles of this lush canyon are within the park, this area too is off limits to visitors. Opened in 1953, the Youth Science Institute - Alum Rock Science and Nature Center , operated by the Youth Science Institute, features natural history exhibits and

2028-555: The Great Depression . Bankrupt farmers from the Dust Bowl , the Okies , made the trek to California . Desperate to feed their families, they joined a workforce that was itself impacted by unemployment. The growers, with record low prices and surplus supply, could pay little. Labor organizers and goon squads battled in the labor camps. Woody Guthrie 's songs were on the radio and he wrote

2106-754: The M113 armored personnel carrier, the Bradley Fighting Vehicle , and the XR311 at its facility in Santa Clara ; and an IBM factory began manufacturing punch cards in San Jose in 1943. About 1,000 Japanese were interned , losing substantial property. Wartime production drew workers, including women , from the orchards and canneries; they were replaced by Mexican Americans from Texas and California and by Mexican braceros . Neighborhoods in East San Jose, such as

2184-627: The Meadowfair district, became barrios . The Polaris submarine-launched ballistic missile was built during the Cold War by Lockheed Missiles & Space Division in Sunnyvale for the United States Navy , while Northrop Grumman Marine Systems built the launch tubes and propulsion systems. For the most part, the defense industry and traditional electronics manufacturers, with the exception of IBM, in

2262-544: The Santa Clara Valley American Viticultural Area remains a large wine-making region. It was one of the first commercial wine-producing regions in California (and possibly the United States), utilizing high-quality French varietal vines imported from France. The northern end of the Santa Clara Valley is at San Francisco , and the southern end is south of Hollister . The valley is bounded by

2340-539: The Santa Cruz Mountains on the southwest, which separate the valley from the Pacific Ocean, and by the Diablo Range on the northeast. The valley is approximately 93 miles (150 km) long by 15 miles (20 km) wide. Its largest city is San Jose . Santa Clara Valley has a Mediterranean semi-arid climate. Joseph S. Diller, a geologist, observed in 1915 that a "notable peculiarity" of the Santa Clara Valley

2418-578: The Temple of Apollo . She delivered prophesies in a frenzied state of divine possession that were "induced by vapours rising from a chasm in the rock". It is believed that the vapors were emitted from the Kerna spring at Delphi. The Greek myth of Narcissus describes a young man who fell in love with his reflection in the still pool of a spring. Narcissus gazed into "an unmuddied spring, silvery from its glittering waters, which neither shepherds nor she-goats grazing on

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2496-556: The 1960s it was the largest fruit-producing and packing region in the world, with 39 canneries . The growing high-tech industry in the 1960s transformed the area from farmland to densely populated cities, and it became referred to as the Silicon Valley . Once primarily agricultural because of its highly fertile soil, Santa Clara Valley is now largely urbanized, although its far southern reaches south of Gilroy remain agrarian. Few traces of its agricultural past can still be found, but

2574-518: The 19th century, 37,388 metric tons of mercury were extracted from the New Almaden mine south of San Jose and northeast of Santa Cruz . The area, closed for many years, resulted in pollution of the Guadalupe River and South San Francisco Bay. After intermittent mining operations finally ceased in the 20th century, the area was purchased by Santa Clara County to be used as a park and was designated

2652-673: The Santa Clara Valley and elsewhere in California until it was suppressed and its leaders jailed in 1934 by the State of California following sustained attacks by business and political forces which, in San Jose, resulted in an atmosphere of terror (the low point of which was a public lynching tacitly supported by James Rolph , the Governor of California). The canneries, with a segregated seasonal work force of white women, were eventually organized, at first by an AFL-affiliated company union, but one which gradually evolved, thanks to rank and file efforts, into

2730-486: The Santa Clara Valley is often supplemented by grants from private foundations set up for that purpose and funded by local residents. Schools in less favorable demographics must depend on state funding. Cities and towns in the Santa Clara Valley include (in alphabetical order): Because technology companies have spread out from Silicon Valley, Fremont and Newark , even though they are not in Santa Clara County, are often included in discussions about Silicon Valley, or, in

2808-610: The Santa Clara Valley was recorded in Los Gatos on June 9, 2000, with a temperature of 114 °F (46 °C) and the record low was recorded in Gilroy on December 23, 1990, with a temperature of 16 °F (−9 °C). Temperatures drop below 40 °F (4 °C) on average of 17 days per year, below freezing on average of 4 days per year and below 30 °F (−1 °C) on average of 0 days per year (none). More recently, extensive droughts in California , further complicated by drainage of

2886-558: The Santa Clara Valley were unionized, mainly by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers , International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers , and Teamsters. The United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America , a communist dominated union, but friendly to minority and women workers, gradually lost its place during the McCarthy era. In the 1950s, the first transistor industries were established in

2964-468: The Santa Clara Valley. The need for workers greatly exceeded the local population and in the nineteenth century, Chinese and Japanese immigrants met that need. Toward the end of the nineteenth century many Italians and other immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe came to the valley and worked in the orchards and canneries. During the 20th century there were Filipino immigrants and increasing numbers of immigrants from Mexico who during World War II became

3042-453: The area. Led by Stanford University , the lower San Francisco Peninsula became a global high-tech hub known as Silicon Valley . The name refers to silicon , the most common semiconductor used to produce microchips and other electronic devices. The borders of Silicon Valley have been variously defined. Most observers include the entirety of Santa Clara County and the southern portions of San Mateo and Alameda counties, while others extend

3120-405: The biggest springs. Springs are formed when groundwater flows onto the surface. This typically happens when the water table reaches above the surface level, or if the terrain depresses sharply. Springs may also be formed as a result of karst topography , aquifers or volcanic activity . Springs have also been observed on the ocean floor , spewing warmer, low- salinity water directly into

3198-597: The case of Fremont, referred to as the "Gateway to the Silicon Valley" (a title also claimed occasionally by San Jose, Union City , and several other locations). Similarly, Palo Alto , while in Santa Clara County and considered part of Silicon Valley , is on the San Francisco Peninsula . There are a number of well-known structures and sites of interest in the South Bay: Santa Clara Valley

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3276-451: The center and labeled accordingly. There is a separate room for live animals that are kept in their designated space along with a brief description of each animal. Occasionally, there is a pair of owls that roam free within the room. The steep sides of the valley are home to many diverse plants native to California. The south-facing slopes primarily consist of grasses, poison oak , sagebrush , and occasional live oak trees. The warm sun on

3354-521: The divide." The summit of the transverse divide is about two miles from the former town of Madrone at an elevation of 345 feet (105 meters), but the alluvial plain is so continuous that most travelers are unaware they are crossing between two drainage basins . The earliest known inhabitants on the Santa Clara Valley are the Ohlone people , who had eight distinct languages and tribes in the coastal region. Mission Santa Clara de Asís , which had control over

3432-426: The dominant agricultural workforce. The town of San Jose was dominated by its business community, which was in part composed of Irish Catholics, who had a self-contained social life which did not include immigrant labor. There was marked prejudice against Asians, particularly Chinese, who gradually left the valley. Deflation and overproduction severely hurt the orchards and packers of the Santa Clara Valley during

3510-595: The downtown streetcars on 17th Street. Passengers could reach the park from any point on the San Jose streetcar system until service into the park was abandoned on 11 July 1932. From 1921 until unknown, the Santa Clara County Council of the Boy Scouts of America was given exclusive access to 15 acres (61,000 m) in the park. By the 1960s, the park attracted so many visitors from the rapidly growing Santa Clara Valley that its facilities became overburdened and

3588-476: The form of a particular name, an associated legend , the attribution of healing qualities to the water through the numinous presence of its guardian spirit or of a Christian saint , or a ceremony or ritual centered on the well site. Christian legends often recount how the action of a saint caused a spring's water to flow - a familiar theme, especially in the hagiography of Celtic saints. The geothermally heated groundwater that flows from thermal springs

3666-472: The late 19th century and through the 1930s, the park was famed throughout the country as a health resort advertising hot and cold sulfur , soda and magnesia springs, as well as mixtures of sulfur, soda, magnesia, arsenic , iron , and their sulfates . Plumbing routed some of these springs into bathtubs or drinking fountains . A very early 20th century advertising brochure listing the names of eleven physicians suggested: "...a remarkable spring furnishing

3744-484: The local Anderson reservoir for seismic repairs, have strained the Valley's water security . . Spring (hydrosphere) A spring is a natural exit point at which groundwater emerges from the aquifer and flows onto the top of the Earth's crust ( pedosphere ) to become surface water . It is a component of the hydrosphere , as well as a part of the water cycle . Springs have long been important for humans as

3822-720: The mountain nor any other cattle had touched, which neither bird nor beast nor branch fallen from a tree had disturbed." (Ovid) The early 20th century American photographer, James Reuel Smith created a comprehensive series of photographs documenting the historical springs of New York City before they were capped by the city after the advent of the municipal water system. Smith later photographed springs in Europe leading to his book, Springs and Wells in Greek and Roman Literature, Their Legends and Locations (1922). The 19th century Japanese artists Utagawa Hiroshige and Utagawa Toyokuni III created

3900-549: The narrow southern reaches of the valley extend into rural San Benito County to Hollister. In practical terms, the central portion of the Santa Clara Valley is often considered by itself, contained entirely within Santa Clara County. The valley, named after the Spanish Mission Santa Clara , was for a time known as the Valley of Heart's Delight for its high concentration of orchards, flowering trees, and plants. Until

3978-448: The native Mexican and Indian people of San Jose to the mission at Santa Clara, which had been under control of Jesuits from 1850; they founded Santa Clara University there in 1851. In 1860, as an American town, the population of San Jose was 4,579, with cattle ranching still the main agricultural activity. For a time wheat became the main crop, but in the 1870s fruit gradually became the main crop and processing of fruit by drying or canning

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4056-403: The natural scenery was damaged. In the 1970s, the park removed most of the buildings, closed off parts of the park, and began emphasizing the park's natural attractions rather than its human-made ones. Much of the stonework remains, however, as do old support structures for the railroad. El Niño winter storms of February 1998 caused dozens of landslides which precipitated the complete closing of

4134-427: The ocean. Springs formed as a result of karst topography create karst springs , in which ground water travels through a network of cracks and fissures—openings ranging from intergranular spaces to large caves , later emerging in a spring. The forcing of the spring to the surface can be the result of a confined aquifer in which the recharge area of the spring water table rests at a higher elevation than that of

4212-440: The only use we will ever find for the hydrogen bomb will be to erase this great mistake from the face of the earth." Housing for each additional 1000 people took 257 acres of land. In more recent years, San Jose and the Santa Clara Valley have suffered from extensive droughts in California to the extent that some residents may run out of household water by the summer of 2022. Funding for public schools in upscale communities in

4290-399: The outlet. Spring water forced to the surface by elevated sources are artesian wells . This is possible even if the outlet is in the form of a 300-foot-deep (91 m) cave. In this case the cave is used like a hose by the higher elevated recharge area of groundwater to exit through the lower elevation opening. Non-artesian springs may simply flow from a higher elevation through the earth to

4368-476: The park are southern alligator lizard and western fence lizard . Native fish that can be found in Penetencia Creek are the California roach and riffle sculpin. Rattlesnakes (specifically, the northern Pacific rattlesnake: Crotalus oreganus ) are known to be active during the summer months. They can occasionally be seen shading themselves in the foliage along the trails. Other snakes that are native to

4446-569: The park for nearly six months. The aftermath of several of these slides resulted in the closure of the Alum Rock Avenue vehicle entrance in the autumn of 2000; vehicle access is currently available from Penitencia Creek Road, which was re-opened to vehicle traffic at this time. On October 30, 2007, the 2007 Alum Rock earthquake , a 5.6 earthquake, hit the Bay Area at 8:04 pm Pacific time. It was centered 5 miles (8.0 km) NNE of Alum Rock and at

4524-408: The park for training and for meets. Alum Rock Park was originally known simply as "the reservation"; it received its current name around the turn of the 20th century when thenardite -containing rocks near its entrance were mistaken for alum . Another black rock with an estimated weight of two thousand tons near the mouth of Penitencia Creek canyon was supposed to be one of the largest meteorites in

4602-414: The park include red-tailed hawk , red-shouldered hawk , Cooper's hawk , American kestrel , turkey vulture , wild turkey , mallard , great blue heron , green heron , Steller's jay , great egret , snowy egret , and California quail . Owls that are native to the park are the western screech owl , barn owl , great horned owl , and northern pygmy owl . The northern pygmy owl unlike most owl species

4680-410: The park include the California kingsnake , California mountain kingsnake , Rosy boa , Pacific gopher snake , and Western yellow-bellied racer , all are harmless, nonvenomous and can also be found along the trails. Yellow-Eyed Ensatina ( Ensatina eschscholztii xanthoptica ), California Slender Salamanders ( Batrachoseps attenuatus ), and Arboreal Salamanders ( Aneides lugubris ) can be found in

4758-407: The park. Passengers paid 25 cents to ride to the park on street cars pulled by steam dummy locomotives. The line converted to electric power in 1901, but a storm during the winter of 1911 washed out the narrow-gauge line up Penitencia Creek. The narrow-gauge route was replaced on 2 September 1913 by the standard gauge interurban Peninsular Railway running up Berryessa Road from a connection with

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4836-410: The parking lot is a metal gate which requires a security code number to continue on the public road. Visitors can also walk up the road, but there are various signs which indicate no trespassing. Penitencia Creek has two main sources which converge at the "horse bridge" near the uphill end of the creek trail. The fork from the north is Penitencia and originates from Cherry Flat Reservoir. Alum Rock Falls

4914-565: The predominant industry. The railroad reached San Jose in 1860. The valley with its scenic beauty, mild climate, and thousands of acres of blooming fruit trees was known as "The Valley of Heart's Delight". Various fruit cooperatives were formed in the area to deal with economic issues, including the California Fruit Union (founded in 1883) and the Santa Clara County Fruit Exchange (founded in 1892). Prunes were

4992-497: The region northwest to San Francisco or northeast to San Ramon . In 1950, Dutch Hamann was appointed city manager of San Jose. Hamann's boosterism was supported by Joe Ridder , publisher of the San Jose Mercury . In power until 1969, Hamann created a master plan for San Jose and embarked on a program of annexation that increased the area of San Jose from 17 square miles to 136.7 square miles. The main bargaining chip

5070-607: The sagebrush lends a unique smell to the air. The north-facing slopes are dominated by trees, including coast live oak , California bay laurel , madrone , and California buckeye . On the valley floor, in the moist areas along Penitencia Creek, bigleaf maple , white alder , and western sycamore provide shade for the abundant ferns . The most common native species of the park include California fuchsia , California wild rose , black sage , hummingbird sage , and blackberry . Problematic invasive species are star thistle , cape ivy , and periwinkle vinca . Bird species found in

5148-490: The southern areas and near the mountains (such as Los Gatos , Morgan Hill , or Gilroy ) the temperature frequently exceeds 95 °F (35 °C) in the summer months. Winter is the rainy season, but still quite sunny. Winter highs range from 57 to 66 °F (14 to 19 °C) while lows range from 40 to 48 °F (4 to 9 °C). Summer highs range from 82 to 95 °F (28 to 35 °C) and summer lows range from 53 to 58 °F (12 to 14 °C). The record high for

5226-531: The valley to the north, and fills much of the northern third of the valley. The valley floor is an alluvial plain that formed in the graben (tectonic depression) between the San Andreas Fault to the west and the Hayward and Calaveras faults to the east. Within the valley and surrounding the bay on three sides are the urban communities of San Mateo County , Santa Clara County , and Alameda County , while

5304-482: The volume of flow. Springs fall into three general classifications: perennial (springs that flow constantly during the year); intermittent (temporary springs that are active after rainfall, or during certain seasonal changes); and periodic (as in geysers that vent and erupt at regular or irregular intervals). Springs are often classified by the volume of the water they discharge. The largest springs are called "first-magnitude", defined as springs that discharge water at

5382-933: The water as it moves through the underground rocks . This mineral content is measured as total dissolved solids (TDS). This may give the water flavor and even carbon dioxide bubbles, depending on the nature of the geology through which it passes. This is why spring water is often bottled and sold as mineral water , although the term is often the subject of deceptive advertising . Mineral water contains no less than 250 parts per million (ppm) of tds. Springs that contain significant amounts of minerals are sometimes called ' mineral springs '. (Springs without such mineral content, meanwhile, are sometimes distinguished as 'sweet springs'.) Springs that contain large amounts of dissolved sodium salts , mostly sodium carbonate , are called 'soda springs'. Many resorts have developed around mineral springs and are known as spa towns . Mineral springs are alleged to have healing properties. Soaking in them

5460-452: The water sinks into the ground via the stream bed. Grand Gulf State Park in Missouri is an example of an entire creek vanishing into the groundwater system. The water emerges 9 miles (14 km) away, forming some of the discharge of Mammoth Spring in Arkansas . Human activity may also affect a spring's discharge—withdrawal of groundwater reduces the water pressure in an aquifer, decreasing

5538-594: The water test for that spring on the website of the company selling it. Springs have been used as sources of water for gravity-fed irrigation of crops. Indigenous people of the American Southwest built spring-fed acequias that directed water to fields through canals. The Spanish missionaries later used this method. A sacred spring, or holy well, is a small body of water emerging from underground and revered in some religious context: Christian and/or pagan and/or other. The lore and mythology of ancient Greece

5616-487: The water. For instance, water heavy with iron or tannins will have an orange color. In parts of the United States a stream carrying the outflow of a spring to a nearby primary stream may be called a spring branch , spring creek , or run. Groundwater tends to maintain a relatively long-term average temperature of its aquifer; so flow from a spring may be cooler than other sources on a summer day, but remain unfrozen in

5694-543: The winter. The cool water of a spring and its branch may harbor species such as certain trout that are otherwise ill-suited to a warmer local climate . Springs have been used for a variety of human needs - including drinking water, domestic water supply, irrigation, mills , navigation, and electricity generation . Modern uses include recreational activities such as fishing, swimming, and floating; therapy ; water for livestock; fish hatcheries; and supply for bottled mineral water or bottled spring water. Springs have taken on

5772-524: The wooded areas of the park. Santa Clara Valley The Santa Clara Valley ( Spanish : Valle de Santa Clara ) is a geologic trough in Northern California that extends 90 miles (140 km) south–southeast from San Francisco to Hollister . The longitudinal valley is bordered on the west by the Santa Cruz Mountains and on the east by the Diablo Range ; the two coastal ranges meet south of Hollister. The San Francisco Bay borders

5850-472: The world. Penitencia Creek is properly called Upper Penitencia Creek because it no longer connects with Lower Penitencia Creek, which is in Milpitas. The creek also had a different name until the early 20th century; somehow it began to be called by the name of a different creek located to the north, which was so-named because monks (possibly from Mission San José ) would meditate by its waters. Construction of

5928-438: Was created by the sudden growth of the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range during the later Cenozoic era. This was a period of intense mountain building in California when the folding and thrusting of the Earth's crust , combined with active volcanism , gave shape to the present state of California. Hence, Santa Clara Valley is a structural valley, created by mountain building, as opposed to an erosional valley, which

6006-471: Was replete with sacred and storied springs—notably, the Corycian , Pierian and Castalian springs. In medieval Europe, pagan sacred sites frequently became Christianized as holy wells. The term "holy well" is commonly employed to refer to any water source of limited size (i.e., not a lake or river, but including pools and natural springs and seeps), which has some significance in local folklore . This can take

6084-656: Was the superior sewage system built to handle cannery waste. To overcome resistance by school districts, who otherwise would have lost their tax base, annexed areas were allowed to maintain independent school districts. This resulted in some parts of the city, such as East San Jose , having low-quality segregated school systems with a low tax base while school systems in other parts of San Jose had an ample tax base and high-quality schools. The population of San Jose increased from 95 thousand in 1950 to 446 thousand in 1970. There were critics: Santa Clara County Planning Director Karl Belser, who opposed urban sprawl , commented, "Perhaps

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