Ballard: Protecting our communities from future floods

As the newest Valley Water board director for a district that includes neighborhoods in downtown San Jose — a community that remembers the devastating floods from eight years ago — I deeply appreciate Valley Water’s dedicated efforts in nearly completing the first phase of the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project.

The Feb. 21, 2017, events remain vivid in our memories — neighbors seeking higher ground, families being rescued from flooded homes and the profound impact felt across our community. With extreme weather now becoming the new normal, we must protect our homes and neighborhoods against the severe floods that are projected to occur every two decades.

In February, Valley Water announced the near completion of the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project’s first phase. This project included the construction of more than 8,500 feet of flood walls along a four-mile stretch between Old Oakland Road and Interstate 280. The flood walls enhance Coyote Creek’s capacity to manage increased water flow when water is released from the newly completed tunnel at Anderson Dam during storms or emergencies. Our teams will also work on restoring local vegetation over the next three years.

And there’s more to come. The second phase of the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project will extend along Coyote Creek from Montague Expressway to Tully Road. The combination of both phases will protect approximately 600 homes and businesses from floods up to the level that occurred on Feb. 21, 2017. In addition, the combined projects will protect homes and businesses from flooding when water is released from a planned secondary tunnel while Anderson Dam is rebuilt as part of the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project.

I am honored to continue the efforts of both the current and past board members in moving this vital project forward. I especially want to acknowledge the contributions of Valley Water Board Chair Tony Estremera and Vice Chair Richard Santos, who represent the areas where this project is being built.

Please join us for a public meeting on April 3, during which Valley Water staff will provide a timeline update for the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project. Construction is scheduled to start in mid-2026, and we will share details of the updated schedule and location of the flood protection measures. You can visit our project update page at ValleyWater.org for more information on how to attend in-person or online.

We will also discuss the project’s costs during the meeting. It’s worth noting projects like this are expensive and becoming costlier due to inflation. We are actively working to secure a $50 million grant agreement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help us complete the project’s second phase and offset the cost for local taxpayers.

We are excited about our progress and look forward to the next phase of this project. Together, we will continue to protect and enhance our community’s safety and resilience against future floods.

Shiloh Ballard represents District 2 on the Valley Water board of directors.