Update
(April 2012) - Work in the creek channel will resume in late spring after the threat of storm flows has subsided. Work outside the channels and on the roadways will continue through spring 2012. The roadwork to lengthen the Jackson Ave. bridge will continue and the lane restriction on Jackson Ave. in the southbound direction will remain until fall 2012. Work on widening the creek and adding flood walls on either side of Story Road will begin again in spring and continue through 2014.
Your Recovery Act tax dollars and a CA State Bond at work
The Santa Clara Valley Water District and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have been working on a multi-purpose project along Lower Silver Creek to protect nearly 3,800 homes and businesses from a 100-year flood event. In spring 2009, some Lower Silver Creek Flood Protection Project improvements were identified as “shovel-ready” projects and were approved to receive $18 million in federal economic stimulus funds as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Recently, we received word that the project will receive another $2.2 million from ARRA, bringing the total to $20.7 million. This new infusion of these funds helped complete the project from Interstate 680 to the Lyndale neighborhood.
In late 2011, the Santa Clara Valley Water District was awarded a California State Dept. of Water Resources grant which will fund the completion of this project through Lake Cunningham. The $25 million state grant will fund the completion of flood walls and vegetation work up to Lake Cunningham. The grant will also fund the design and construction of the final phase of the Lower Silver Creek Flood Protection Project through the Lake Cunningham area. The completion of this final phase of flood protection work will prevent flood waters from a 1% flood event (also known as a 100-year flood) from leaving the creek and flooding streets and homes in the current flood hazard area and will remove the mandatory flood insurance requirement for this neighborhood.
The project encompasses multiple segments, referred to as “Reaches”. Improvements for Reaches 1, 2, and 3 (from Coyote Creek to Interstate 680) were completed in 2006. Over the past 50 years, Lower Silver Creek has experienced severe flooding that resulted in damage to residential, commercial and industrial properties.
Reach 6 construction (2009)
The first phase of construction began in late August 2009 and continued through October on either side of Ocala Ave.
Excavator widening
the creek. |
Traffic controls
as trucks enter
Ocala. |
Hydroseeded
grasses taking root
on new banks. |
Reach 4 and 5 construction (2010 through 2012) The second phase of the project includes the widening of the creek channel and the addition of concrete flood walls from Interstate 680 through the Dobern and Lyndale neighborhoods. This section also required the rebuilding of two major bridges at Capitol Expressway and Jackson Ave.
Traffic control will be provided, and flaggers will be onsite during work hours to ensure everyone’s safety. Equipment used will include excavators, bulldozers, loaders, scrapers, jack hammers, small cranes and dump and transportation trucks. Typical construction noise can be expected during work hours.
Flood protection project commended in federal report
The White House recently released Vice President Joe Biden’s list of 100 significant stimulus projects from across the United States. The Lower Silver Creek Flood Protection Project, which is a joint project between the NRCS and the district, was a significant local feature on this celebrated list of stimulus fund accomplishments.
The entire report is available for download here. (Vice President Joe Biden's list of 100 significant stimulus projects)
Project contact:
For more information about this project, contact: Liang Lee Manager, Coyote Watershed, Santa Clara Valley Water District, at (408) 265-2607, ext. 2927.
Groundbreaking Ceremony Aug. 27 photos and a short video.
Groundbreaking Ceremony invitation
Construction Progress Sept. 2009 photos
Design Proposals for Reach 4 and 5 Meeting displays for 4b, Meeting display for 4c and meeting display for 5
Our partners for this project:
Natural Resources Conservation Service
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
ARRA Certification: Section 1511