Coyote Percolation Dam Replacement Project
The Coyote Percolation Dam Replacement Project will help protect the water supply, groundwater basins and wildlife in Coyote Creek once Valley Water finishes building the Anderson Dam tunnel in 2024.
This tunnel will help control the amount of water released during storms from Anderson Reservoir to Coyote Creek. Water could be released at nearly five times the rate during major storms or emergencies.
To make sure the creek can safely handle the increase, Valley Water will replace the existing steel flashboard dam at the Coyote Percolation Pond with an inflatable rubber dam. The dam would be quickly raised when water levels into the creek are low and lowered to allow higher water flows to pass safely.
To view the Coyote Percolation Dam History Booklet, click here.
Construction to start on new inflatable dam at Coyote Creek
Valley Water will install a new inflatable rubber dam at Coyote Creek to replace the current steel dam. The work is anticipated to begin in mid-May and continue through 2024. There will be noise and dust typically associated with construction. Valley Water will make every attempt to minimize these impacts. All construction staging areas are within Metcalf Park on Valley Water or Santa Clara County property. Traffic control will be used where necessary.
The inflatable dam will make it easier for Valley Water to quickly control the amount of water released during storms from Anderson Dam to Coyote Creek. Steel dams can take between one to two weeks to remove and install. Rubber dams can inflate and deflate in about 45 minutes. The new dam will also help keep the water at the Coyote Percolation Dam at levels necessary to recharge the groundwater basin.
October 2022 meeting information
Valley Water held a public meeting in October 2022 to update neighbors about the current design of the Coyote Percolation Dam Replacement Project. The project supports the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project’s construction of an outlet tunnel next to the dam, allowing more water to be released during a storm or other emergency.
Below is a recording of the meeting along with other materials shared at the meeting:
- Project presentation
- Meeting recording
- Project fact sheet
If you have questions about the project, please contact neighborhood liaison Jiana Escobar at [email protected] or 408-630-2266.