In order to address community concerns regarding flooding and environmental preservation on San Francisquito Creek, the City of Palo Alto has worked with neighboring jurisdictions to create the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority (JPA).
The San Francisquito JPA is an agency empowered to protect and maintain the 14-mile San Francisquito Creek and its 45 square-mile watershed. The JPA was created through the adoption of a joint powers agreement by the member agencies on May 18, 1999.
Current information about the JPA is described in the Watershed Background and Overview and the JPA Agency Timeline.
The agreement cites the following purposes of the JPA:
To facilitate and perform bank stabilization, channel clearing, and other Creek maintenance.
To plan flood control measures for the San Francisquito Creek watershed.
To take actions necessary to preserve and enhance environmental values and instream uses of San Francisquito Creek.
To coordinate emergency mitigation and response activities relating to San Francisquito Creek.
To make recommendations to Member Entities for funding and alternatives for long-term flood control for Member Entity consideration.
The JPA operational budget is funded through contributions from its member agencies. The JPA receives grants for projects and is conducting strategic planning to establish long-term funding sources for operating costs and capital projects.
The JPA Board welcomes public comment and participation at Board meetings. During JPA Board meetings (see schedule), members of the public may directly address the Board on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the JPA. One half hour (as needed) at the beginning of each Board meeting is devoted to public comment on issues not on the agenda. Public comment is limited to three minutes per speaker during agenda items and during the public comment section of the meeting agenda.
San Francisquito Creek Hydrology Report An updated San Francisquito Creek Hydrology Report has been prepared by Santa Clara Valley Water District staff and approved by the Army Corps of Engineers [more]
Aviso_Público (in Spanish) Public Notice issued on April 3, 2006 to announce the study initiation and an initial public meeting for the feasibility study Item Dated: 04/03/2006
Continuing Authorities Program 205 Presentation This PowerPoint presentation regarding a proposed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Continuing Authorities Program (CAP) 205 project was made at the May 22, 2003 JPA Board meeting Item Dated: 05/23/2003
Corps of Engineers’ 905B Report San Francisquito Creek Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration General Investigations Program Item Dated: 03/14/2005
Crescent Park Neighborhood Association Presentation The following PowerPoint presentation regarding potential interim flood control measures for San Francisquito Creek were made at the January 30, 2006 joint study session of the JPA Board of Directors and the Palo Alto City Council. Item Dated: 01/30/2006
Description of General Investigation (GI) and Continuing Authorities (CAP) 205 Processes The following PowerPoint presentation regarding the differences between a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers General Investigation (GI) watershed study, a GI flood damage reduction project, and a Continuing Authorities Program (CAP) project was made at the June 24, 2004 JPA Board meeting Item Dated: 04/24/2004
Federal Register Notice The following is an excerpt from the Federal Register issued on April 11, 2006 to announce the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers intent to prepare a joint environmental impact statement/environmental impact report for the San Francisquito Creek Study Item Dated: 04/11/2006
Presentation on General Investigation (GI) Alternatives Watershed studies are planning initiatives that have a multi-purpose & multi-objective scope. The study develops a framework of implementation strategies in the context of a comprehensive watershed management plan. Item Dated: 05/27/2004
Public Notice (in English) Public Notice issued on April 3, 2006 to announce the study initiation and an initial public meeting for the feasibility study Item Dated: 04/03/2006
Sample Federal Funding Support Letter Members of the public are encouraged to write to Congresswoman Eshoo and Senators Feinstein and to express support for federal funding for the feasibility study. Item Dated: 02/01/2006
US Army Corps of Engineers Project Partnership Kit This kit serves as an introduction to help local project sponsors to better understand: 1) the Corps of Engineers organization and authorities 2) the scope of the Corps civil works missions and programs, 3) the project development process by which projects are planned, designed, constructed, and maintained, and 4) the Project Delivery Team (PDT), which the local sponsor is a part of. The kit was prepared to help local sponsors understand how the Corps can help with their water resources and related land problems and opportunities. While the kit has been developed to serve as only an introduction to this partnership, it contains sufficient detail to serve as a reference for many aspects of this cooperative relationship. Item Dated: 01/01/2001
Project Management Plan The Army Corps of Engineers has prepared a draft Project Management Plan (PMP) in cooperation with the JPA, which outlines the scope, cost, and schedule for the feasibility phase of the joint JPA/Army Corps San Francisquito Creek Flood Damage Reduction & Environmental Restoration Project. The PMP is currently under review by the JPA staff, the JPA Board, and staff from the JPA member agencies
Project Management Plan (PMP) A draft Project Management Plan (PMP) in cooperation with the JPA, which outlines the scope, cost, and schedule for the feasibility phase of the joint JPA/Army Corps San Francisquito Creek Flood Damage Reduction & Environmental Restoration Project Item Dated: 06/08/2006
Reference Documents for the Planning Process The following documents provide reference background information on the processes, regulations, and principles used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on flood damage reduction and ecosystem restoration projects throughout the United States. This information is relevant to the work the Corps is performing in cooperation with the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority in this watershed.
Army Corps of Engineers Business Process This regulation establishes philosophy, policy, and guidelines to accomplish all work performed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Item Dated: 08/17/2001
Army Corps of Engineers NEPA Implementation Guidelines This regulation provides guidance for implementation of the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the Civil Works Program of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It supplements Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations 40 CFR 1500-1508, November 29, 1978, in accordance with 40 CFR 1507.3, and is intended to be used only in conjunction with the CEQ regulations. Item Dated: 03/04/1988
Army Corps of Engineers NEPA Implementation Regulations The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is our basic national charter for protection of the environment. It establishes policy, sets goals (section 101), and provides means (section 102) for carrying out the policy Item Dated: 11/28/1978
Army Corps of Engineers Planning Guidance These principles are intended to ensure proper and consistent planning by Federal agencies in the formulation and evaluation of water and related land resources implementation studies. Item Dated: 04/22/2000
Army Corps of Engineers Planning Manual Planning with a little “p” is problem solving and it is done throughout the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers organization. Some of it is done by planners in Planning Divisions on planning studies. Item Dated: 11/01/1996
Army Corps of Engineers Planning Primer If you were planning, how would you do it? What questions would you ask? What tools would you use? Where would you even start? Item Dated: 11/03/1997
Army Corps of Engineers Policy Digest This pamphlet provides a brief summary, in digest form, of the existing administrative and legislative water resources policies and authorities pertinent to the Civil Works activities of the Corps of Engineers Item Dated: 07/30/1999
Army Corps of Engineers Principles and Guidelines These Economic and Environmental Principles In accordance with section 103 of the Water and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources Planning Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. Resources Implementation Studies have been 1962a-2), the Water Resources Council voted on developed to guide the formulation and September 9, 1982, to repeal the existing evaluation studies of the major Federal water Principles, Standards and Procedures(18 CFR, resources development agencies Item Dated: 03/10/1983
Bank Stabilization and Revegetation Recommendations Report Partnering with creekside landowners, the JPA has initiated a series of five "demonstration" projects to stabilize the degrading banks along San Francisquito Creek. These five projects will be implemented utilizing environmentally-sensitive, "soft engineering" methods of bank stabilization derived from the San Francisquito Creek Bank Stabilization and Revegetation Master Plan. The JPA was able to secure two grants for these projects: 1) A Proposition 12 grant from the State Coastal Conservancy in the amount of $100,000 for the planning of the projects, and 2) A Section 319(h) grant from the State Water Resources Control Board in the amount of $316,580 to begin project implementation.
A California Department of Water Resources grant of $72,000 was awarded to extend the Master Plan to Corte Madera Creek in Portola Valley. The JPA is partnering with the Town of Portola Valley on this project.
1. Table of Contents & Introduction Partnering with creekside landowners, the JPA has initiated a series of five "demonstration" projects to stabilize the degrading banks along San Francisquito Creek. Item Dated: 06/16/2006
2. Recommendations Report - Section 2 Partnering with creekside landowners, the JPA has initiated a series of five "demonstration" projects to stabilize the degrading banks along San Francisquito Creek. Item Dated: 06/16/2006
3. Recommendations Report - Section 3 Partnering with creekside landowners, the JPA has initiated a series of five "demonstration" projects to stabilize the degrading banks along San Francisquito Creek. Item Dated: 06/16/2006
4. Recommendations Report - Section 4 Partnering with creekside landowners, the JPA has initiated a series of five "demonstration" projects to stabilize the degrading banks along San Francisquito Creek. Item Dated: 06/16/2006
5. Recommendations Report - Section 5 Partnering with creekside landowners, the JPA has initiated a series of five "demonstration" projects to stabilize the degrading banks along San Francisquito Creek. Item Dated: 06/16/2006
6. Recommendations Report - Section 6 Partnering with creekside landowners, the JPA has initiated a series of five "demonstration" projects to stabilize the degrading banks along San Francisquito Creek. Item Dated: 06/16/2006
7. Recommendations Report - Section 7 Partnering with creekside landowners, the JPA has initiated a series of five "demonstration" projects to stabilize the degrading banks along San Francisquito Creek. Item Dated: 06/16/2006
Maintaining Corte Madera Creek A Citizens' Guide to Creek-Side Property Protection - The JPA prepared Maintaining Corte Madera Creek: A Citizens’ Guide to Creek-Side Property Protection as a tool for the Town of Portola Valley and its residents to use in guiding bank stabilization and revegetation efforts along Corte Madera Creek, a tributary to San Francisquito Creek. The report was created to facilitate communications between the Town and private property owners who wish to address erosion and property loss.
I. December 31, 2005 Storm Information The following information regarding the storm event of December 31, 2005 was compiled by JPA and member agency staff:
III. San Francisquito Creek Watershed Analysis and Sediment With funding from a Proposition 13 grant, the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority (JPA) is managing the preparation of a San Francisquito Creek Watershed Analysis and Sediment Reduction Plan. The Plan partially fulfills NPDES permit provisions that require the co-permittees of the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program (SCVURPPP) and the San Mateo Countywide Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program SM-STOPPP) within the San Francisquito Creek watershed to assess and implement sediment management measures in the watershed. The Plan is being prepared through a contract with Northwest Hydraulic Consultants and Jones & Stokes.
IV. San Francisquito Creek Aquatic Habitat Assessment and Limit The Aquatic Habitat Assessment and Limiting Factors Analysis is intended to characterize channel and habitat conditions with respect to factors that limit the steelhead population in the San Francisquito Creek watershed.
VI. Upstream, Downstream, Across the Stream This report posits that the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority (JPA) can only be a truly integrated watershed group with membership of the two upper watershed towns of Portola Valley and Woodside.
VII. Levee Restoration Project The JPA Board of Directors approved a resolution at the September 27, 2001 Board meeting enabling final design and construction of the Levee Restoration Project to become reality.
