Back to top

Clean, Safe Creeks Grants Projects*

About This Project

The Clean, Safe Creeks (CSC) Program awarded grants in 3 categories to encourage community involvement in protecting and enhancing the environment. Valley Water awarded grants for 45 projects under the Clean, Safe Creeks Program between Fiscal Year(FY) 10 and FY13. As reported in the FY13 Clean, Safe Creeks report, all KPIs have been met as per the executed agreements. However, some grant projects have yet to be completed.

 

*This project was voter approved to be carried forward from the Clean, Safe Creeks and Natural Flood Protection Plan (2000) into the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program (2012).

 LG trail between San Tomas and Campbell
Datapoints
Status
Completed
Location
Countywide
Schedule
Start FY 2014 / Finish FY 2020
Funding
Safe, Clean Water Fund ($2.9 million)
News and UpdatesNews and Updates
Reports and DocumentsReports and Documents
Environmental and Community BenefitsEnvironmental and Community Benefits
History and BackgroundHistory and Background
News & Updates

All of the 46 Clean, Safe Creeks grant projects have been completed. The final two projects will be closed by the end of FY 2021

The remaining Clean, Safe Creeks projects to be closed are:

  1. The City of San José received a $450,000 grant for the Three Creeks Trail – Trestle and Interim Improvements project to construct a clear-span bridge trestle and an interim trail near Los Gatos Creek. The City of San José experienced delays due to suitability of the Environmental Impact Report, as well as due to legal issues around the replacing of a wooden trestle bridge with a new steel one, therefore, the term of the agreement was amended to March 20, 2021.

  2. The City of Gilroy received a $190,000 grant for the Ronan Channel Trail – Interim Project, Phase 1, to expand trails in the City of Gilroy for bicyclists and pedestrians. The project has been completed and is expected to close in FY21.

Sign up to receive notifications for all of Valley Water's upcoming Safe, Clean Water grant cycles: [email protected]

Updated April 2021

Reports & Documents

No current documents. 

 

Environmental & Community Benefits

Key Performance Indicators for the Safe, Clean Water Program

  1. CSC 2.1: Reduce urban runoff pollutants in south county cities.

  2. CSC 3.2: Creation of additional wetlands, riparian habitat and favorable stream conditions for fisheries and wildlife. (Equivalent of 100 acres of tidal or riparian habitat created or restored).

  3. CSC 4.1: Community partnership to identify and provide public access to 70 miles of open space or trails along creeks.

Benefits

These grant agreements address:

  • CSC Outcome 2.1: Pollution prevention

  • CSC Outcome 3.2: Healthy creek and bay ecosystems are protected, enhanced or restored as determined appropriate by the Board

  • CSC Outcome 4.1: There are additional open spaces, trails and parks along creeks and in the watersheds when reasonable and appropriate

Geographic Area of Benefit

Countywide 

History & Background

About the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program

In November 2012 the voters of Santa Clara County overwhelmingly approved Measure B, the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program, as a countywide special parcel tax for 15 years with a sunset date of June 30, 2028. This Program replaced the Clean, Safe Creeks and Natural Flood Protection Plan, which voters approved in November 2000.

The Safe, Clean Water Program was developed with input from more than 16,000 residents and stakeholders and was created to match the community’s needs and values. The voters of Santa Clara County identified five priorities:

Priority A: Ensure a Safe, Reliable Water Supply

Priority B: Reduce Toxins, Hazards and Contaminants in our Waterways

Priority C: Protect our Water Supply from Earthquakes and Natural Disasters

Priority D: Restore Wildlife Habitat and Provide Open Space

Priority E: Provide Flood Protection to Homes, Businesses, Schools and Highways

Other: Six projects from the Clean, Safe, Creeks Plan have been carried forward into the Safe, Clean Water Program.

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.

In addition, the Program requires three independent audits, the first of which was conducted in FY 2017.

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.