Santa Clara Valley Scores with 5 Shovel-ready Projects
Five Santa Clara Valley Water District "shovel ready" projects will receive $44.1 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), according to a press release from the district.
"Receiving such a significant amount of money from the federal government will provide a much needed boost to some very important projects," said Board Chair Sig Sanchez. "The water district is investing wisely to provide flood protection and a reliable supply of water for future generations."
These projects improve flood protection, transportation and water treatment facilities but also bring jobs to the valley. Jobs would be created for construction crews, engineers, electricians, tractor operators, truck drivers, cement finishers and many others. The water district will also need to purchase major supplies such as pipelines and steel.
Water district staff is now developing and implementing plans to begin construction within the next several months. Below is a brief summary of the five "shovel ready" projects:
- NRCS Funding for Lower Silver Creek ($18 million) -- This project will ultimately remove 3,800 parcels from the one-percent floodplain and improve stream habitat values.
- NOAA Funding for Pond A8 Notch Construction ($1 million) -- This project is intended to increase the tidal flow in Alviso Slough and help maintain the channel and increase salinity in the waters.
- Corps of Engineers' Funding for Downtown Guadalupe River Bridges 3 and 4 ($12.5 million) - These bridges are the final phase of the Downtown Guadalupe River Project construction. The project will provide flood protection to downtown San José, protect and improve water quality of the river, preserve and enhance the river's habitat, fish and wildlife, and provide recreational and open space benefits.
- South Bay Water Recycling Advanced Treatment Facility Project ($8.25 million) -- This facility will allow expanded use of recycled water from the San Jose Recycled Water Plant by improving the quality for non-potable purposes such as landscape irrigation.
- South County Recycled Water Master Plan Implementation ($4.35 million) -- The plan includes construction of approximately five miles of recycled water pipelines in Gilroy area. The pipeline will distribute water from the existing recycled water plant to additional customers and allow expanded use of recycled water.
The district manages water resources and provides stewardship for the county's five watersheds, including 10 reservoirs, hundreds of miles of streams and groundwater basins. The water district also provides flood protection throughout Santa Clara County.