Project contact:
For more information about this project, contact:
Saeid Hosseni, Project Manager,
Santa Clara Valley Water District, at (408) 265-2600, ext. 2680.
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Project objectives
To provide flood protection to homes, streets, businesses, and public facilities in the Calabazas Creek watershed using Natural Flood Protection approach. The construction work will be limited to Calabazas Creek between Miller Avenue and Wardell Road as indicated by the Clean Safe Creeks and Natural Flood Protection Plan. However, the study area has been extended to include the Comer Debris Basin and Comer Drive.
The project objectives are as follow:
- 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 (100-year) flood, erosion protection, and creek restoration for Calabazas Creek and its tributaries (Rodeo and Regnart creeks) between Miller Avenue and Comer Drive.
- Provide flood protection to 422 homes, businesses and schools upstream of Miller Avenue (Bollinger Road bridge was constructed in 2008 under a separate project) from a one-percent flood, preventing potential damages of $11 million.
- Identify opportunities for environmental enhancement such as stream restoration, as well as trails, parks, and open space, for the Board of Directors consideration.
- Minimize the cost of maintenance.
Project status
- Conducted preliminary field survey (topographic
and biological survey, field inspection).
- Prepared Draft Problem definition report.
- Prepared existing condition hydraulic analysis.
- First public meeting was held July 25, 2005,
and a second meeting is scheduled for August 2, 2005, to discuss the flooding problems.
- Second public meeting was held on January 3 and February 2, 2006 to discuss the project's conceptual alternatives.
- Prepared final Problem Definition Report.
- Prepared staff recommended alternative report.
- Prepared planning study report.
- Began preparation of CEQA document.
- Began design phase.
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Project timeline
The current project schedule will support a planning study to be completed
by October 2008 and design by December 2009. Project construction will
be conducted between 2010 and 2013 under the Clean, Safe Creeks Program.
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.
- Approve environmental consultant contract: February 2006
- Adopt resolution to undertake works of improvement: October 2008
- Adopt final MND: August 2009
- Advertise contract documents for
construction: February 2010
- Award construction contract: May 2010
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Project
history and background
Calabazas Creek Watershed features
Calabazas Creek extends approximately 13.3
miles from the confluence with the Guadalupe Slough to the Saratoga
foothills. Previous projects have provided flood protection on Calabazas
Creek from San Francisco Bay up to Miller Avenue. This project completes
the needed flood protection in the Calabazas Creek watershed. The watershed
drains approximately 21 square miles within the cities of Sunnyvale,
Cupertino, San Jose, Santa Clara, and Saratoga (see Figure 1). The proposed
Project is along a 3.3 mile reach within the cities of Cupertino, San
Jose and Saratoga. The area surrounding the project is part of the Santa
Cruz Mountain foothills.
Calabazas Creek has three major tributaries within the
project reach. Regnart Creek joins Calabazas Creek about 1000 feet upstream
of Miller Road. Rodeo Creek joins Calabazas Creek 2,700 feet upstream
of Bollinger Road. Prospect Creek joins Calabazas Creek at SPRR.
Most of the project reach is used for groundwater
recharge by the Water District. Imported water from the Stevens Creek
pipeline is released about one-quarter mile upstream of Prospect Road
near the Union Pacific Railroad. The recharge zone usually extends downstream
past Interstate 280 to about N. Tantau Avenue. Depending on the gravels
in the creek, the released water may go below ground in some areas and
re-surface further downstream.
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Flooding problem
The reach above Bollinger Road is where flood flows would flow out during
the 1 percent flood. In fact, significant flooding occurred in the Project
Road area in 1955, 1958, 1963, 1968 and 1998. More recently, in December
of 2002, the area around Bollinger Road was flooded. During the 1955
flood, water poured into residential streets and homes, forcing the
evacuation of more than 100 families. Flood waters inundated many of
the same homes again in 1958. Without flood protection provisions, the
1 percent flood would inundate a large residential area bounded by Rodeo
and Calabazas Creeks on the east, Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road on the west,
and Regnart Creek on the north.
The portion of the project reach below Bollinger Road
is a deeply incised water course with little distance between top of
bank and the residential fence line. This reach experiences bank erosion
problems. The creek above Bollinger Road is shallower, with some meanders,
and has more trees along the banks. This reach has more room between
the top of bank and the residential fence line and even has an access
road in some locations.
Key features in the project area
There are several key features in the project area. Wilson Park is located
about 500 feet upstream of the Regnart Creek confluence. Further upstream,
just downstream of Rainbow Drive is the City of San Jose's Calabazas
Park.
Meyerholz Public Elementary School is along the project
reach between Bollinger and Rainbow Drive on the west side of the creek.
Union Pacific Rail Road (UPRR) is crossing
Calabazas Creek just upstream of Prospect Creek. Highway 85 is crossing
the creek 4,000 feet downstream of Prospect Road.
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