Saratoga Agrees to Repair Calabazas Creek

The City of Saratoga approved an agreement earlier this month with the Santa Clara Valley Water District to repair stream bank erosion and storm drain outfall to Calabazas Creek.

According to the city’s staff report, the problem was brought to the Saratoga City Council’s attention after municipal and district inspections showed substantial deterioration of the creek’s stream banks past Wardell Road.

Calabazas Creek is a 13.3-mile-long northeast by northward-flowing stream originating on Table Mountain in Saratoga.

The inspections also revealed that one of the creek’s 27-inch storm drain pipes had corroded along with a concrete holding that had collapsed beneath it.

Repair costs are currently estimated at $128,000 and will be split evenly with the district, according to Saratoga senior engineer Iveta Harvancik.

However, if repairs exceed the estimated $128,000, the city will only pay a maximum of $64,000, according to the staff report, which was heard by the Council at its Feb. 6 meeting.

Funding for the project is already included in the Capitol Improvement Budget or CIP, according to Harvancik.

Even with the gradual erosion of the creek’s banks, Harvancik does not believe the damage will cause any problems for residents living nearby.

Saratoga resident Cynthia Shuffle hopes the city will avoid any shortcuts to repair the creek.

“I hope they save the trees and don’t just pull out the old oaks,” she said. “They should use sandbags, or whatever is appropriate because the trees are perfectly fine.”

When asked about possible removal of the oak trees, Harvancik assured that no oak trees would be removed.

According to the report, the district will begin repairs to the creek later this year.

Editor's Note: This article was written for Saratoga Patch as part of a San Jose State University journalism class assignment. The writer welcomes your feedback, comments. Thank you.