Morgan Hill’s Llagas Creek flood protection project will receive
$287,000 in federal funding. The project was included in an omnibus
budget bill signed by President Barack Obama Wednesday.
Morgan Hill’s Llagas Creek flood protection project will receive $287,000 in federal funding. The project was included in an omnibus budget bill signed by President Barack Obama Wednesday.
According to Morgan Hill City Manager Ed Tewes, the money will be used for additional technical and design work on the project.
Congressman Jerry McNerney, a major player in securing the funds, was pleased.
“These funds are essential for protecting homes, businesses and also restoring the creek’s natural habitat,” McNerney said in a statement released today.
While the House and the Senate batted around the idea of funding for Llagas Creek, the Santa Clara Valley Water District and the city came to a tentative agreement to share the cost of the $6.6 million design and Environmental Impact Statement necessary to get the project off the ground, according to Jim Ashcraft, the city’s public works director. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for the assessment, design, and construction of most of the creek improvements, while the district will pay about $50 million total towards acquisitions and infrastructure costs. The total project will cost about $130 million, according to a staff memo presented to the water district in February.
Board member Rosemary Kamei said the district worked diligently with Congress, the city and the Army Corps to receive the funding.
“The money allocated in the omnibus measure will help complete the flood risk and uncertainty analysis, and finalize the hydraulic design which is vital for the project to move forward,” Kamei said.
The Llagas Creek Flood Protection Project encompasses a 13.6-mile area that runs from San Martin to Morgan Hill and includes communities along Llagas Creek, East Little Llagas Creek and West Llagas Creek. Lower Llagas Creek, running through Gilroy, was completed years ago.
Since 1955, the area has flooded almost a dozen times, according to McNerney. The most recent flood was in January 2008. The Llagas Creek Flood Protection Project will help provide flood protection for an estimated 1,100 homes, 500 businesses and more than 1,300 acres of agricultural land in Santa Clara County, McNerney said.
“Funding the Llagas Creek Flood Protection Project has long been a priority of mine,” he said. “I’m glad to support projects that have such important value to Morgan Hill and the region.”
Mayor Steve Tate applauded McNerney for his help.
“My thanks go out to Congressman McNerney for advocating for the Llagas Creek Flood Protection Project on behalf of Morgan Hill,” Tate said in the statement. “These funds will be put to use to help protect Morgan Hill from floods and preserve our area’s natural habitat.”
