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The last two winters have been tough on Stevens Creek with major storms eroding its banks and leaving massive debris in its wake. Now the city of Mountain View is taking steps to address the damage along segments of the creek in partnership with the Mountain View Whisman School District.
The city has mapped out four erosion areas on Stevens Creek between Middlefield Road and Moffett Boulevard. Three of the areas needing repair work are located on city property, adjacent to the school district and Whisman Park. The fourth spot is located on district property behind the German International School of Silicon Valley.
To streamline staff resources and costs, the city has proposed to collaborate with the school district on the repair work. In a letter submitted to the district in September, the city also cited concerns about public safety, and that piecemeal work on the creek could further exacerbate bank erosion.
Last week, the Mountain View Whisman School District unanimously agreed to allocate funds for erosion repair on school property. The work is estimated to cost between $600,000 and $800,000, according to the Oct. 3 board report.
Specific fixes include re-grading the eroded areas with planted rock slope protection to improve stability and adding vegetation to the bank’s surface. Root wads, a streambank protection technique, will be installed in certain areas of the creek for added stability, and storm drains that are exposed or damaged will be replaced as well, the report said.
The city plans to apply for the regulatory permits for the repair work and also will prepare the project design. The school district will support the construction, soft costs and mitigation and monitoring of the work on school property. It also will provide easements for the city to access the site during construction activities, the report said.
While all the trustees backed the partnership, there were questions about the project’s timing. The work is not scheduled to start until June 2026, an issue that raised concerns given the significant erosion that has happened over the last two winters.
Part of the holdup is that the repair work only can occur between the months of June and October, leaving a small window each year for construction, according to Raymond Wong, Mountain View’s senior project manager. The environmental habitat at Stevens Creek also requires extensive permitting, which is why it is scheduled for 2026, he said.
But there will be continuous monitoring of all four sites. “If the condition is such that the collapse or additional damage is imminent, there could be a potential emergency intervention,” Wong said.
On the whole, the trustees expressed a strong desire to collaborate with the city to fix the eroded banks on the school’s property. “This is something that is beyond the expertise of the school district alone so we truly do appreciate the partnership and the support,” said school board President Devon Conley.
Glad to see _some_ sign of movement on this repair. If they keep the creek clear of debris that diverts the flow into the banks, there is a chance there won’t be further erosion before they actually work on this, but 2 more winters is asking a lot with the wild weather we now have.
I live about half a mile from Stevens Creek between El Camino and Church. A few months ago I decided it was time to buy flood insurance after seeing reports of flooding from “thousand year” rainstorms (not coastal storm surge) all over the US. Because we’re not in a flood zone the cost is quite low, about $500/year for our 80 year old single-family home. I sincerely hope we never have to file a claim. You may have heard or read that in Asheville NC only 0.7% of homes had flood insurance, and that town was devastated by Helene.