January 31, 2008

Creek watch: Creeks fill with debris as the storms continue

By Jeanne C. Carbone
Staff Writer

As San Jose is inundated by storms, volunteers are keeping busy to ensure the city’s watersheds stay healthy.

FOLAW’s Mike Boulland [standing in the creek] is concerned about the Los Alamitos Creek log and debris dam below the Alamitos Road where one lane has already eroded down the hill. Photo by Jeanne C. Carbone

San Jose has received 7.84 inches of rain, 104 percent of the average rainfall. Almaden’s Los Alamitos Creek flows with logs and debris, which in some cases is blocking waterways. That debris can be anything from twigs, branches or fast-food wrappers. In one instance, a mangled bike was located below the wooden bridge on Bertram Road. These items would stay in our waterways without the help of dedicated groups like the Friends of Los Alamitos Watershed [FOLAW].

“Our volunteers and their families had lots of fun in our first annual river cleanup and community event,” said FOLAW organizer Mike Boulland. “This year’s storms have added more debris and logs to a creek. The Friends of Los Alamitos Creek group is planning another cleanup on Saturday, May 17.”

Boulland hopes the volunteers will be able to clean up the creek below Los Alamitos Creek to McKean Road. Last year the same group was responsible for the area from the Hacienda parking lot to the top of Hicks Road. They removed three garbage-truck loads of old computers, bottles, cans, tires, a terrarium, a mattress and other debris. FOLAW had the support of the County Roads Department, County Parks Department, Santa Clara Valley Water District and the Mid-Peninsula Open Space.

“As a group we are planning to keep the creek healthy by removing the trash,” said Boulland. “Removing any trash and debris out of the creek will keep our Los Alamitos Creek healthy and litter free. Our group continues to hope to get permission to clear a major log jam below the dam.”

Boulland is speaking of the area below the Alamitos Road. The storms and erosion have caused trees, foliage and one lane of the road to crumble below the street and dam up in Los Alamitos Creek.

“I read that the county is finally getting around to fixing it sometime this year,” said New Almaden resident Gillian Altieri. “Thank goodness the single lane has held together and no one has needed fire or ambulance service. We see very little of county services out here, and the one item that they needed to repair has taken them at least 11 years to get around to it.”

Los Alamitos Creek flows north into Almaden Lake and then into the Guadalupe River. A watershed is the land area from which surface runoff drains into a stream channel, lake, reservoir or other body of water, such as the San Francisco Bay. For example, in Santa Clara County, all the creeks and rivers in the Guadalupe Watershed, including water from storm drains, flow into the Guadalupe River, then north [downstream] into the San Francisco Bay.

FOLAW is one of many adopt-a-creek groups initiated by the Santa Clara Valley Water District. Interested individuals identify a creek that they would like to adopt and identify the area by the city and nearest cross streets. The only requirement is that the group commits to a minimum of two days a year.

FOLAW is taking the commitment a step further. They plan a silent auction to help raise funds for incorporation. At this time they are looking for support from the community and business sponsors for donations of items.

“Our mission is to support the community’s protection and restoration projects where they are the most significant for the total community benefit,” said Boulland.

To find out which creeks are available for adoption, call the Adopt-A-Creek program at (408) 265-2600, ext. 2945 or visit www.valleywater.org. To donate items to FOLAW’s silent auction, contact Mike Boulland at mikeboulland@yahoo.com.