Date: March 30, 2004

Federal flood protection contractor a valuable Silicon Valley ally, local water district rep tells Senate subcommittee

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Facing criticism for building environmentally lifeless flood protection projects, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will receive a vote of confidence Wednesday, March 31, from local water officials during a hearing before a Senate subcommittee.

Santa Clara Valley Water District Director Greg Zlotnick, who is scheduled to testify before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works’ Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, said he believes lessons learned locally working with the Corps can be applied nationally.

“In the past, the Corps has generally proposed straightening out creeks and lining them with concrete, which is pretty much how flood protection projects used to be built,” said Zlotnick, who represents the cities of Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Cupertino, Saratoga, Monte Sereno, portions of San Jose and Sunnyvale, as well as Stanford.

“And we’ve had to say, ‘Wait a minute. Our community values the environment here and this is how we want it to be.’ ”

The result, Zlotnick said, has been construction of flood management projects that not only protect lives and property, but also enhance local streams and create sustainable habitat for wildlife and threatened species of migratory fish.

As an example, Zlotnick pointed to the Guadalupe River Park and Flood Protection Project, which is in its final nine months of construction through the heart of San Jose. The project, when completed by the end of the year, will benefit Santa Clara Valley’s riparian habitat as much as it protects homes, businesses, schools and transportation routes from flooding.

The project is creating 21 acres of riparian vegetation, with approximately 244 trees and 270 shrubs per acre. In addition, shade trees to keep the water cool for steelhead trout and Chinook salmon will stretch along nearly 3,000 feet of the river in the heart of an urban area.

“We’re trying to inform Congress that the Corps is making progress toward a more watershed-based approach,” Zlotnick said, “and our partnerships confirm that welcome evolution.”

Without a federal contractor like the Corps of Engineers, Zlotnick said, local communities like Santa Clara County would be hard-pressed to fund major capital flood-protection projects.

Like many local “sponsors,” the Santa Clara Valley Water District is able to leverage state and federal funding using local tax dollars.

“Without the Corps as a partner, the consequence would be further delays and an ongoing absence of needed flood protection for communities like ours,” Zlotnick said.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District manages Santa Clara County's wholesale drinking water resources, coordinates flood protection for its 1.7 million residents and provides stewardship for the county's 10 reservoirs and more than 800 miles of streams.