Upper Berryessa Creek Flood Protection*

Flooding History and Project Background 

The Berryessa Creek Flood Risk Management Project encompasses approximately 2.2 miles of Berryessa Creek from Calaveras Boulevard to Interstate 680. 

The Upper Berryessa Creek flood protection project offers a tremendous opportunity for a project to increase flood protection and stabilize the channel banks. Valley Water will continue to work with the community and cities to provide critical flood protection needs for Milpitas and San José.

Upper Berryessa Creek has a history of flooding, having experienced major events within the project area in 1982, 1983, and 1998. In 1982, the bank overflowed south of Calaveras Boulevard. To date, the creek has a 25 percent chance of flooding each year.

Flooding can result in millions of dollars in damage to homes, businesses, schools, and other infrastructure. Disruption to businesses and transportation networks such as the upcoming BART station at Montague Expressway will result in significant loss of productivity and revenue. One of the project’s goals is to avoid utility and transportation shutdowns and prevent potential damages from a 100-year storm event* exceeding $528 million (2011 value) per event. Approximately, 500 businesses and homes would be affected. The Santa Clara Valley Water District has initiated design of a flood protection project along 2.2 miles of the creek from Calaveras Boulevard to Interstate 680.

* A 100-year storm event, sometimes called a one-percent flood event, has a 1-in-100 chance of occurring in any given year.

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 District website.