F2: Emergency Response Planning and Preparedness*

Status

Active

Location

Countywide

Schedule

Start FY 2022 / Finish FY 2036

Funding

Safe, Clean Water Fund ($7.3 million)

This project enables Valley Water to work with local municipalities to clearly delineate and communicate roles and responsibilities for floodplain management and flood emergency management. The resulting plans will also strengthen response capabilities for mutual assistance during other types of public health and safety emergencies or natural disasters. The project supports Valley Water’s countywide emergency response, preparedness and mitigation activities, develops communication processes and disseminates web-based flood forecasting information developed under Project F7: Emergency Response Upgrades. Valley Water will also assist collaborating agencies in developing formal, site-specific flood-fighting strategies and will coordinate outreach throughout the county so that the public receives uniform warning messages during a flood emergency.

*This project was voter approved as part of the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program.

See Environmental & Community Benefits section for a complete description of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

KPI #1: (Coordinate with local municipalities)

On October 7, 2025, Valley Water staff held a kickoff meeting with staff from the cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill to kick of the development of the Upper Pajaro River Watershed Emergency Action Plan and solicit their expertise on the local conditions and historical knowledge.
Valley Water continues to attend the monthly Santa Clara County Emergency Managers meetings, where staff engage Emergency Managers from local municipalities and share Valley Water’s current work activities, particularly those involving collaboration with local agencies.
Valley Water has developed EAP Quick Guides for 10 of the 18 creeks and waterways included in existing EAPs. These five- to seven-page summaries are designed to provide easy access to the key actionable information from the full EAP. The Quick Guides are updated when the corresponding EAP is updated.
Attended briefing of the San Francisquito Creek Multi-Agency Coordination (SFC MAC) group on the July 4th Safety Watch.
In August 2025, Valley Water began meeting with Valley Transportation Authority staff regarding developing new policies and procedures to access flood fighting infrastructure located within their right of way. These meetings are ongoing.

KPI #2: (Flood Management Plans)

Prepared an update of the Lower Penitencia Creek Watershed Emergency Action Plan and the associated Quick Guides that include Lower Penitencia Creek and Berryessa Creek.
In November 2025, the update to the Joint Emergency Action Plan for Severe Storm and Flood Response in City of San José (JEAP) was signed by both the City Manager of San José and Valley Water’s Interim CEO, thus formally adopting it. This update includes a new Berryessa Creek Appendix.
In June 2025, competed final edits of JEAP updates and circulated within Valley Water and the City of San José for final review prior to submitting for final approval and signatures.
In August 2025, Valley Water CEO signed the updated JEAP which was subsequently delivered to the City of San José for final approval and signature by the City Manager.
All current EAPs covering 18 waterways and 10 Quick Guides have been posted on the Valley Water website at https://www.valleywater.org/flooding-safety/flood-emergency-action-plans
Completed final edits to West Valley Watershed EAP in June 2025. The document was approved and signed on August 7, 2025.
Developed a new Quick Guide for the Sunnyvale East & West Channels and updated the Quick Guide for San Tomas Aquino Creek in the West Valley Watershed.
Continued the development of the Upper Pajaro River Watershed EAP that began in the prior quarter and completed the update of the Uvas Creek and West Little Llagas Creek Appendices.
Began preparing an Upper Pajaro River Watershed Emergency Action Plan that will merge the existing plans for West Little Llagas Creek and Uvas Creek and add a new Llagas Creek appendix. A first draft of the plan began internal review on March 19, 2026.

KPI #3: (Drills and exercises)

On January 13. 2026 Valley Water, in partnership with the City of Palo Alto conducted a tabletop exercise focused on the San Francisquito Creek Multi-Agency Coordination (SFC MAC) plan. The exercise focused on enhancing coordination among multiple agencies that would be involved in response to a flooding event along San Francisquito Creek. More than 60 representatives from the SFC MAC and supporting agencies from local, county, and state agencies participated in the exercise.
On May 22, 2025, Valley Water supported a large-scale flooding exercise in Monterey County.
In June 2025, Valley Water participated in a multi-day exercise hosted by CAL FIRE, Santa Clara County Fire Chiefs, and the South Bay Incident Management Team.
On June 9, 2025, Valley Water participated in a large-scale exercise conducted by Santa Clara County. The role was in the simulated cell where a master scenario events list was used to guide the exercise and assess responses of the Emergency Operating Center participants (players). This provided Valley Water staff with insight into the preparation of agency partners in the event of an actual scenario.

KPI #4: (Effectiveness)

Starting in October of 2025, Valley Water, in partnership with the City of Palo Alto developed, through a series of planning meetings, a multi-agency tabletop exercise to be held in January of 2026. This exercise will be based on the San Francisquito Creek Multi-Agency Coordination (SFC MAC) plan and the San Francisquito Creek portion of the Lower Peninsula Emergency Action Plan. This is a unique exercise as it will involve participants from two adjacent counties.

April 2026

For more information:

Alexander Gordon, (408) 630-2637

SanFrancisquitoCk MAC Tabletop Excercise — San Francisquito Creek MAC Tabletop Exercise

See Environmental & Community Benefits section for a complete description of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

KPI #1: (Coordinate with local municipalities)

On October 7, 2025, Valley Water staff held a kickoff meeting with staff from the cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill to kick of the development of the Upper Pajaro River Watershed Emergency Action Plan and solicit their expertise on the local conditions and historical knowledge.
Valley Water continues to attend the monthly Santa Clara County Emergency Managers meetings, where staff engage Emergency Managers from local municipalities and share Valley Water’s current work activities, particularly those involving collaboration with local agencies.
Valley Water has developed EAP Quick Guides for 10 of the 18 creeks and waterways included in existing EAPs. These five- to seven-page summaries are designed to provide easy access to the key actionable information from the full EAP. The Quick Guides are updated when the corresponding EAP is updated.
Attended briefing of the San Francisquito Creek Multi-Agency Coordination (SFC MAC) group on the July 4th Safety Watch.
In August 2025, Valley Water began meeting with Valley Transportation Authority staff regarding developing new policies and procedures to access flood fighting infrastructure located within their right of way. These meetings are ongoing.

KPI #2: (Flood Management Plans)

Prepared an update of the Lower Penitencia Creek Watershed Emergency Action Plan and the associated Quick Guides that include Lower Penitencia Creek and Berryessa Creek.
In November 2025, the update to the Joint Emergency Action Plan for Severe Storm and Flood Response in City of San José (JEAP) was signed by both the City Manager of San José and Valley Water’s Interim CEO, thus formally adopting it. This update includes a new Berryessa Creek Appendix.
In June 2025, competed final edits of JEAP updates and circulated within Valley Water and the City of San José for final review prior to submitting for final approval and signatures.
In August 2025, Valley Water CEO signed the updated JEAP which was subsequently delivered to the City of San José for final approval and signature by the City Manager.
All current EAPs covering 18 waterways and 10 Quick Guides have been posted on the Valley Water website at https://www.valleywater.org/flooding-safety/flood-emergency-action-plans
Completed final edits to West Valley Watershed EAP in June 2025. The document was approved and signed on August 7, 2025.
Developed a new Quick Guide for the Sunnyvale East & West Channels and updated the Quick Guide for San Tomas Aquino Creek in the West Valley Watershed.
Continued the development of the Upper Pajaro River Watershed EAP that began in the prior quarter and completed the update of the Uvas Creek and West Little Llagas Creek Appendices.
Began preparing an Upper Pajaro River Watershed Emergency Action Plan that will merge the existing plans for West Little Llagas Creek and Uvas Creek and add a new Llagas Creek appendix. A first draft of the plan began internal review on March 19, 2026.

KPI #3: (Drills and exercises)

On January 13. 2026 Valley Water, in partnership with the City of Palo Alto conducted a tabletop exercise focused on the San Francisquito Creek Multi-Agency Coordination (SFC MAC) plan. The exercise focused on enhancing coordination among multiple agencies that would be involved in response to a flooding event along San Francisquito Creek. More than 60 representatives from the SFC MAC and supporting agencies from local, county, and state agencies participated in the exercise.
On May 22, 2025, Valley Water supported a large-scale flooding exercise in Monterey County.
In June 2025, Valley Water participated in a multi-day exercise hosted by CAL FIRE, Santa Clara County Fire Chiefs, and the South Bay Incident Management Team.
On June 9, 2025, Valley Water participated in a large-scale exercise conducted by Santa Clara County. The role was in the simulated cell where a master scenario events list was used to guide the exercise and assess responses of the Emergency Operating Center participants (players). This provided Valley Water staff with insight into the preparation of agency partners in the event of an actual scenario.

KPI #4: (Effectiveness)

Starting in October of 2025, Valley Water, in partnership with the City of Palo Alto developed, through a series of planning meetings, a multi-agency tabletop exercise to be held in January of 2026. This exercise will be based on the San Francisquito Creek Multi-Agency Coordination (SFC MAC) plan and the San Francisquito Creek portion of the Lower Peninsula Emergency Action Plan. This is a unique exercise as it will involve participants from two adjacent counties.

April 2026

For more information:

Alexander Gordon, (408) 630-2637

No current documents.

Safe, Clean Water Program Documents

FY22-36 Key Performance Indicator for the Safe, Clean Water Program

Coordinate with local municipalities to merge Valley Water-endorsed flood emergency processes with their own emergency response plans and processes.
Complete five (5) flood management plans/procedures per 5-year period, selected by risk priorities.
Train Valley Water staff and partner municipalities annually on disaster procedures via drills and exercises before testing the plans and procedures.
Test flood management plans/procedures annually to ensure effectiveness.

Benefits

Reduces flood damage
Improves flood preparedness
Provides effective coordinated response to disaster-related emergencies
Improves community awareness about disaster-related risks

Geographic Area of Benefit

Countywide

About the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program

In November 2020, voters in Santa Clara County overwhelmingly approved Measure S, a renewal of Valley Water’s Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program.

The program was first passed by voters in 2000 as the Clean, Safe Creeks and Natural Flood Protection Plan, then again in 2012 as the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program. The renewal of the Safe, Clean Water Program will continue to provide approximately $47 million annually for local projects that deliver safe, clean water, natural flood protection, and environmental stewardship to all the communities we serve in Santa Clara County.

While evaluating ways to improve the 2012 program, Valley Water gathered feedback from more than 21,000 community members. That helped Valley Water create the six priorities for the renewed Safe, Clean Water Program, which are:

Priority A: Ensure a Safe, Reliable Water Supply
Priority B: Reduce Toxins, Hazards and Contaminants in our Waterways
Priority C: Protect our Water Supply and Dams from Earthquakes and Other Natural Disasters
Priority D: Restore Wildlife Habitat and Provide Open Space
Priority E: Provide Flood Protection to Homes, Businesses, Schools, Streets and Highways
Priority F: Support Public Health and Public Safety for Our Community

Each year, Valley Water prepares a report providing a progress update for each of these program priorities, along with fiscal year accomplishments.

To ensure transparency and accountability to the voters, the ballot measure also created an Independent Monitoring Committee, appointed by the Santa Clara Valley Water District Board of Directors. The Independent Monitoring Committee annually reviews the program’s progress to ensure the outcomes are achieved in a cost-efficient manner and reports its findings to the Board. Additionally, the IMC also reviews each proposed 5-year implementation plan prior to its submittal for Board approval.

In addition, the program requires three independent audits.

View the Safe, Clean Water Program’s annual reports, annual IMC audit reports, and independent audits, including a staff response, on the Valley Water website.