Back to top

2012 A1: Main Avenue and Madrone Pipelines Restoration*

About This Project

As part of our commitment to continue providing reliable safe and clean water, Valley Water has completed construction relating to our work to restore the Main Avenue and Madrone pipelines. Approximately 14,000 linear feet (~2.6 miles) of 30-inch to 36-inch diameter raw water pipeline was installed to meet current and future groundwater recharge demand in Morgan Hill and south Santa Clara County.

With the completion of this project, the Main Avenue and Madrone pipelines are now capable of functioning at full operating capacity.  Together, these two pipelines can now convey local and imported raw water from Anderson Reservoir and the Santa Clara Conduit for groundwater recharge via the Main Avenue Recharge Ponds and the Madrone Channel. 

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

Installing a section of pipeline beneath Cochrane Road in Morgan Hill.
Datapoints
Status
Completed
Location
Morgan Hill
Schedule
Start FY 2015 / Finish FY 2020
Funding
Safe, Clean Water Fund ($17.6 million); Water Utility Enterprise Fund
News and UpdatesNews and Updates
Reports and DocumentsReports and Documents
Environmental and Community BenefitsEnvironmental and Community Benefits
History and BackgroundHistory and Background
News & Updates

Project Milestones:

  • The Project’s final design documents were completed in September 2017.

  • The Project’s construction contract advertisement occurred in September 2017 and was awarded to Monterey Peninsula Engineering in October 2017.

  • The Project's construction began in January 2018.

  • Field construction on the project completed August 2019.

Updated January 2020

For more information:

 

Reports & Documents

Notices

The Valley Water Board approved the Engineer's Report and adopted the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) in May 2017.

Environmental & Community Benefits

Key Performance Indicators for the Safe, Clean Water Program

  1. Restore transmission pipelines ability to operate at the full capacity of 37 cfs from Anderson Reservoir. 

  2. Restore ability to deliver 20 cfs to Madrone Channel.

Benefits

  • Increases groundwater recharge by about 2,000 acre-feet per year in South County’s Llagas Groundwater Sub-basin, a sufficient water supply for 4,000 families of 5.

  • Improves operational flexibility.

  • Maximizes the delivery of imported water to treatment plants supplying drinking water to North County.

  • Saves energy, reduces operating costs, and cuts CO2 emissions by reducing dependence on Coyote Pumping Plant.

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.

    Thumbnail
    The Madrone Channel