Contacts:
Anita Brown (530) 792-5644
Susan Siravo (408) 265-2607

DAVIS, Calif., October 16, 2009—Flood control work has been completed on the first stretch of the stimulus-funded Lower Silver Creek project that runs from Lake Cunningham into downtown San Jose. Construction on the project began the day after U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, and numerous local officials participated in a groundbreaking ceremony on August 27, 2009. At $18 million, Lower Silver is the largest stimulus-funded project from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the first one to begin construction.

NRCS and the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) are working to extend flood control protection and to add wetland and habitat to the five-mile creek. The work has been divided into six sections, three of which were completed by SCVWD in recent years before exhausting funds. The stimulus funds, also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), are making it possible to complete two of the three remaining sections.

The just-completed construction widens the creek for a half-mile stretch between Moss Point Drive and Lake Cunningham. In addition to allowing more room for water passage, steep banks were sloped to prevent soil from sloughing into the creek, clogging bridges, and compromising water quality. Design and contracting work will continue but construction will now be put on hold until after the rainy season is over.

Flooding in Lower Silver Creek has been a major problem with seven significant floods in the past 50 years. NRCS and SCVWD partnered on the project design over a decade ago to add vegetation, enhanced habitat and recreational value to the original flood control focus of the plan.

-NRCS-

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