Valley Water releases draft Environmental Impact Report on the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project

On July 12, 2024, Valley Water released the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). This document identifies environmental impacts associated with Valley Water's plan to build and maintain a series of flood risk reduction improvements along approximately nine miles of Coyote Creek in San José.

The improvements would be implemented along Coyote Creek from Montague Expressway to Tully Road. The primary objective is to provide protection from floods up to the level that occurred on Feb. 21, 2017, equivalent to approximately a 5% flood (20-year event). We anticipate beginning construction on this project in 2025.

The Draft EIR is now available on Valley Water's website for public comment and review and in person during normal business hours at:

• Valley Water, 5750 Almaden Expressway, San José, CA 95118
• East San José Carnegie Library, 1102 E. Santa Clara St., San José
• San José City Hall, 220 E. Santa Clara Street, San José

Valley Water is holding a public meeting on July 25, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. to provide information on the Draft EIR. The meeting will be held at the Roosevelt Community Center at 901 E. Santa Clara St. in San Jose. The meeting will also be broadcast live online via Zoom at https://valleywater.zoom.us/j/86506619557 (Meeting ID: 865 0661 9557; Call in: 669-900-9128).

Written comments on the Draft EIR may be submitted via email to [email protected] and should include the name and mailing address of the commenter in the body of the email, and "Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project" in the subject line. Comments may also be submitted by mail to:

Santa Clara Valley Water District

Attention: Andrew Martin, Environmental Planner

5750 Almaden Expressway

San José, CA 95118

Valley Water is also progressing on the first phase of our work to provide flood protection along Coyote Creek. The first phase, known as the Coyote Creek Flood Management Measures Project, is located along a four-mile stretch between Old Oakland Road and Highway 280. Valley Water is building seven floodwalls along three different stretches of creek in commercial and residential areas, including:

• San Jose Municipal Golf Course to Mabury Road
• Mabury Road to Highway 101
• Santa Clara Street to the south end of William Street Park

Valley Water has completed the installation of over 8,500 feet of floodwalls through June 2024. The remaining work includes installing concrete encasement for certain floodwall areas and restoring the construction sites by the end of October 2024.

These floodwalls must be completed before Valley Water completes the construction of a new, larger outlet tunnel at Anderson Dam. The floodwalls will allow Coyote Creek to safely carry increased flows when water is released from the new outlet tunnel during storms or emergencies.

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