The Santa Clara Valley Water District has fixed erosion that threatened property and powerlines in the City of Santa Clara. The water district’s work on the El Camino Storm Drain Channel also minimizes the risk of future erosion.
The channel, which collects storm water from nearby streets and carries it to Calabazas Creek, starts near Agate Drive and Calabazas Creek, and ends at El Camino Real in Santa Clara. It’s a 12,300-foot long channel — some of that length consists of a pipe underground — that helps reduce flood risks to nearby properties as it moves water to the creek.
The work began in August 2017, and the water district completed the project last month. Work included improving and stabilizing the eroded banks of the channel and clearing out excessive tree growth, vegetation, wooden fences and other items that could impede the flow of water.
The project was part of the district’s Stream Maintenance Program, which ensures flood protection projects continue to function as designed to protect homes and businesses. The water district works to reduce the risk of flooding and keep our communities safe. As part of that mission, the water district secures state and federal regulatory agencies’ approval of a work plan that lets our crews trek into streams to remove sediment, manage vegetation, clear trash and debris, and stabilize banks that have eroded. While the heavy work takes place from June to October, stream maintenance is a year-round effort.
This project was originally contracted at $2.6 million, but came in at $1.96 million. The remainder will now be available for funding other Stream Maintenance Program projects.
