Flood protection project
Permanente Creek

As part of the district’s 15-year Clean, Safe Creeks Program, Permanente Creek has been selected for improvements in flood protection, erosion control, structural repair, sediment reduction, and habitat restoration. The planning and design phases of this project are included as part of the district’s Capital Improvement Plan.

Project goals: The project goal is to provide flood protection to homes, streets, businesses, and public facilities in the Permanente Creek watershed using Natural Flood Protection approach.

Project information:

• About the project, including map (PDF 2.5 MB)
• B - McKelvey Park flood detention (PDF 798 KB)
• G - Blach School flood detention (PDF 790 KB)
  
• H - Rancho San Antonio Park flood detention (PDF 796 KB)
  

Project objectives:

• Develop a plan for the entire watershed that presents alternatives and a recommendation for providing flood protection for all flows up to the one-percent flood for Permanente Creek, Hale Creek, and the Permanente Diversion between Foothill Expressway and San Francisco Bay.

• Identify opportunities for environmental enhancement such as stream restoration, as well as trails, parks, and open space for the Board consideration.

• Provide flood protection to 1,664 parcels (1,378 homes, 160 businesses and 4 schools/institutions) downstream of El Camino Real from a 100-year flood (saving potential damages in excess of $47.9 million) by 12/30/2016.

• Prevent flooding of Middlefield Road and Central Expressway by 12/30/2016.
  
  
• Minimize the cost for maintenance.
  

Check here for:

• Project history and background

• Maps of the project

• Public meetings, notices, opportunities for public input

• Reports, documents and environmental review

• Timeline of the project

• Status of the project

Project contact:
For more information about this project, contact: Afshin Rouhani, Project Manager, Santa Clara Valley Water District, at (408) 265-2600.

Project timeline

The project planning study report was completed in August 2008. The current project schedule will support completion of the EIR by October 2009, and first phase of the design by March 2010. Project construction will be conducted between 2010 and 2016 under the Clean, Safe Creeks Plan.

The project will require several Board actions to complete the anticipated work. Below is a list of the Board actions required and when these items are estimated to be brought to the Board.

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Project status

• Project data collection began 2001
  
• Six public meetings held: Mar. 10, 2003, Jun. 3 & 8, 2004, Nov. 18 & 22, 2004, May 16 & 19, 2007
  
• Citizen’s Task Force and creek Watchers established: March 2003
  
• Seven Task Force meetings held: Jun. 25, 2003, Oct. 25, 2003, Mar. 4, 2004, Sept. 30, 2004, Mar. 7, 2005, Feb. 8, 2006, Jul. 12, 2006
  
• Existing Condition/Problem Definition Report finalized: February 2004
  
• Task Force mailer sent: June 29, 2005
  
• Meeting with Mountain View city manager: February 9, 2006
  
• Presentation to Mountain View City Council: Jan. 16, 2007, Feb. 12, 2008, Feb. 16, 2008
• Presentation to Los Altos City Council: Mar. 13, 2007
• Presentation to Cupertino City Council: Mar. 6, 2007, Sept. 30, 2008
  
  

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*100-year flood
Also called a 1% flood, a storm event which has a one-percent chance of occuring during any given year.

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