By Khalida Sarwari
A project is under way to repair damage to a bank and public trail along Wildcat Creek in Saratoga.
A five-member crew will be attempting to repair the creek and trail–which are about 1,000 feet downstream of Portos Drive–to their original condition by using a small loader, excavators, dump trucks and possibly a generator that will be used to continuously pump water around the project site and back into the creek to keep the water flowing. The project will ultimately repair 80 feet of creek bank to minimize erosion and help stabilize the slope of the creek bank. Crews will also plant native plants.
The project began in late June with the removal of non-native trees and trimming of vegetation which was contributing to the erosion, according to Marty Grimes, a program administrator at the Santa Clara Valley Water District. The work is expected to be completed by the third week of July. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the week and possibly on Saturdays in the event of delays.
Trucks and crews will access the creek at Portos Drive. While road closures are not anticipated, the public trail will be temporarily off limits. Flaggers will be onsite to conduct traffic control when necessary.
Residents on both sides of the creek may notice an increase in noise during the day due to construction activity, according to Chad Grande, a senior field operations administrator.
The goal of the project is to repair the erosion that has occurred on the banks of the creek, said Grimes. Erosion is a common problem that’s caused when the energy and movement of water over or against creek banks dislodges and carries away soil, rocks, trees or vegetation. Erosion can also damage fragile natural habitats that can negatively impact fish and other species that use these elements for shelter and food.
“We make a number of repairs like this throughout the county every year,” said Grande. “We try to address them as soon as possible, especially in a situation like this where infrastructure is impacted.”
Repairs to the bank will protect homes and property along the creek and maintain a healthy creek ecosystem. The creek’s capacity to carry floodwaters will also be improved as the buildup of sediment will be minimized.
The Santa Clara Valley Water District and the city of Saratoga are sharing the cost of the project, which is estimated to be around $220,000.
The last time the water district did work at Wildcat Creek was about five years ago when crews reduced sediment build-up using grade control structures.
