The Board pursues projects that will benefit the most people. One critical project is along the Guadalupe River, which flooded Highway 87 last year and caused massive gridlock in the valley that cannot proceed without additional funding. Others include upper Llagas Creek, Permanente Creek, Sunnyvale East Channel, Sunnyvale West Channel, Calabazas Creek, and Berryessa Creek. Because the valley no longer has natural flooding to clear streams, the district is taking on nature s role. We could increase that to include unimproved creeks as well as improved creeks.
Some channels accumulate silt that needs to be removed.
Others have highly erosive soils that constantly need to be reinforced with boulders or gabions. Plant overgrowth can reduce a channel s capacity to carry flood flows and often needs to be torn out. In dry years, plant growth can also pose a fire hazard. Levees need to be reinforced, creeks and culverts cleared, fences repaired, gates and barriers maintained, fallen trees removed, and trash cleaned up. When rains are heavy, the emergency operation center gears up, relaying information to the city, fire and police departments, and the media.