Joint City Council / Santa Clara Valley Water District Board Special Meeting Summary - October 13, 2026

This special joint meeting between the San José City Council and the Santa Clara Valley Water District Board focused on preparing for the 2026-2027 El Niño rainy season, with updates on flood protection projects and interagency coordination. The meeting was held at Valley Water Headquarters in San José, starting at 1:00 PM. Mayor Matt Mahan participated remotely. Vice Mayor Pam Foley chaired the meeting. The board and council received presentations on El Niño preparedness, emergency response plans, and heard public testimony. Key outcomes included a motion directing city staff to work with Valley Water to produce a flood risk analysis and hotspot map.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Elizabeth Mencken (Nagley Park resident) asked how blockages are removed during storms and what equipment is available. Both Valley Water and city staff responded about their emergency contracts and monitoring of over 100 hotspots.
• Michael (public speaker) recommended the book "A World Transformed" by Joshua Patison, highlighting historical flooding patterns and calling for proactive maintenance.
• Gail Osmer (unhoused advocate for 30+ years) expressed concern that the unhoused population was not mentioned in the presentation, noting that 40% of unhoused residents are seniors. She asked about outreach, flyers, transportation to shelters, and allowing belongings. Staff responded that coordination with outreach teams occurs before storms and that shelter capacity exists.
• Jordan Maldau (San José resident) raised issues about trail underpasses flooding after storms, citing slow cleanup due to jurisdictional complexities. He urged both agencies to streamline bureaucracy and improve drainage.
• Betsy Magus (Santa Clara resident, bicycle commuter) seconded concerns about undercrossings, noting that Guadalupe River Trail underpasses were flooded for 70 days in past wet seasons. She suggested better drainage, prompt cleanup, and advance notifications.
• Mark Schroeder (speaker on Coyote Creek) presented a petition signed by 230+ residents demanding action on nine major wood blockages on a 0.75-mile stretch of Coyote Creek, asking about risk of domino-effect floods.
• John Davis (District 3 resident, Margaret Ave.) described personal cleanup efforts, spending $2,500 to clear debris, but said Valley Water told him it was a city problem and the debris remains. He proposed a quitclaim deed transferring creek property to Valley Water to clarify responsibility.

Discussion Items

• El Niño Preparedness Update (Item 2.1): Staff from Valley Water and the City presented a joint update. Chief Chris Hicks (Valley Water COO) explained that a very strong El Niño does not necessarily correlate to flooding but provides an opportunity to educate the public. He described 800 miles of waterways in the county, with Valley Water owning/managing 350 miles and maintaining 185 miles of constructed flood projects. City staff Jeff (ESD) outlined city preparedness, storm response, public information, and recovery roles. Ray Reardon (City OEM) highlighted the Joint Emergency Action Plan (JEAP) developed after the 2017 floods, tested 12 times, updated annually. Alex Gordon (Valley Water) discussed multi-agency exercises including tabletop, notification drills, and functional EOC exercises for Anderson Dam scenarios. Rachel Kippon (Valley Water) detailed public outreach: a flood awareness campaign launching October 15, over 48,000 mailers sent last year, targeted info to 17,000 residents in hotspot areas, and government relations efforts seeking state and federal regulatory relief (endangered species act flexibility). Community assistance programs include five sandbag sites (webcams on two), a Creekside Neighborhood Rebate Program, and a flood preparedness hotline.
• Anderson Dam and Coyote Creek Flood Protection Update (Item 2.2): Ryan McCarter (Valley Water Deputy COO) gave a two-minute summary: the Anderson Dam Tunnel Project is complete and operational for this winter; Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project Phase One is complete, allowing tunnel flows through Coyote Creek; Phase Two and the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project are in early construction stages with contracts awarded.

Key Outcomes

• Motion by Mayor Mahan (approved unanimously): Directed city staff to work with Valley Water to produce a flood risk analysis and list of top hotspots within approximately 140 miles of waterways in San José, including a risk assessment and plans for high-risk areas, to be presented to the City Council. Seconded by Councilmember Kamei. Passed on verbal roll call.
• Deferral of Pure Water Silicon Valley Update (Item 2.3): Due to time constraints, the item was deferred to the next joint meeting.
• Ceremonial Item: Recognized Chair Tony Estremera for 31 years of service on the Valley Water Board, with a commendation presented by Councilmember Candelas. Estremera shared a personal story of his journey from a high school dropout to public service, emphasizing paying it forward.
• Future Advocacy: Several councilmembers urged stronger joint advocacy for state and federal regulatory waivers to permit in-channel work before the rainy season, especially for Upper Penitencia Creek and other hotspots.