From Eagle Trail. 10/25/2021, 8:27 am. Lots of vegetation on the "island" in 2021! All of this water is headed for Searsville Lake in Stanford's Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve. Since the dam is not overflowing yet this season, Searsville Dam keeps the water from proceeding down San Francisquito Creek to flood Palo Alto. In future years, after Searsville Lake fills with sediment, the dam will offer no protection to downstream properties -- unless something is done about this. Stanford has a plan.