Today I got an email from a gal thinking of relocating to Los Gatos, and she wanted to know where the various natural hazard zones are. If she buys a house, she wants it to not be in an area prone to mudslides or to be sitting on a fault.  Where are the earthquake fault zones in Los Gatos? Where are the landslide or mudslide areas? (She didn't ask about liquifaction zones or dam failure inundation zones, though they are also hazards.)

First, an explanation about the maps. These "natural or geologic hazard" zones in Silicon Valley are not necessarily static. I heard about a condo complex in Santa Clara that was adjacent to a creek or river, and one homeowner was unhappily surprised to learn that the flood plain had been redefined (after she bought her condo) to now include her home! This is expensive because lenders would require flood insurance on the property and of course it impacts resale value.

Conversely, I sold a home in Almaden Valley a few years ago that appeared to be on the Shannon earthquake fault, but the geologic report said that it's not actually in the fault zone at all. And one house I sold in Willow Glen had been in a flood plain, but when the City of San Jose did major repairs to the sewer lines, it was removed officially from the flood plain. That was a great boon for them in reselling their home.

With those disclaimers made, below please find links for maps of the Los Gatos area (it includes most of the town, but not all) from the Santa Clara County Planning Office displaying where the various hazard zones can be found:

Map 35 - MOST of the Town of Los Gatos (but not 100%)

Fault Rupture Hazard Zones in the Town of Los Gatos

Liquifaction Zones in Los Gatos

Combined Hazards Map

For more areas within Santa Clara County (including Saratoga, Almaden Valley, etc.) please see the county's Planning Office website.