By Khalida Sarwari
This summer, crews will begin construction work along Calabazas Creek to repair a damaged stream bank and eroded storm drain, thanks to an agreement between the Santa Clara Valley Water District and the city of Saratoga to split the cost.
On Feb. 6, the Saratoga City Council approved the agreement, which will require the city to cough up half of the project’s estimated total cost of $128,000. The city’s share is not expected to exceed $64,000, and that funding is already included in the adopted capital improvement plan budget. According to Iveta Harvancik, Saratoga’s senior engineer, the water district has already committed to its part of the agreement.
The repair work, which will be designed, administered and executed by the water district, will help maintain stream bank visibility and reduce the potential for flooding adjacent properties. It will also prevent future erosion, according to Harvancik.
“This damage or erosion was discovered by the water district staff who does regular inspections,” said Harvancik. “They approached the city and told us this needs to be repaired, and we negotiated the 50-50 cost share.”
A routine inspection by the water district staff revealed deterioration of the stream bank along Calabazas Creek past Wardell Road. What’s more, it found that a 27-inch storm drain corrugated metal pipe had corroded and the concrete structure supporting it had collapsed.
“The outfall pipe in the creek was eroding because it’s very old,” said Harvancik, adding that both the pipe and concrete structure are around 40 years old.
The repair work entails field surveying, placing boulders, backfilling behind the boulders and repairing the city’s storm drain outfall. To prevent the likelihood of future erosion, other affected stream bank surfaces will be hydroseeded and planted. The work is slated to begin and end this summer, Harvancik said.
“I believe it will be done later this year, in summer, but it also depends on the water district’s schedule,” she said. “They are the ones who will do the work. The city of Saratoga is only contributing 50 percent of the funds.”
Harvancik said she does not anticipate any noise or traffic impact on surrounding neighborhoods. The damage is not expected to cause problems for residents, either, she said.
Calabazas Creek runs along Mount Eden and Pierce roads in Saratoga and flows north to San Jose.
City, water district split 50-50 on cost of creek bank repair project
