Alviso Ponds & Santa Clara County Working Group

Through the Alviso Ponds/Santa Clara County Working Group, the project partners sought the active participation of the public to help shape long-term tidal marsh restoration and flood protection in the South Bay.

What was the purpose of this Working Group?

The Alviso Ponds and Santa Clara County Working Group supported both the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project and the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Study by providing ongoing, input and advice to both projects.

Phase 1 of the SBSP project in the Alviso Ponds and Santa Clara County focused on opening up some salt ponds to the bay, and on expanding and improving public access. Simultaneously, the Shoreline Study developed detailed plans for the long-term flood protection levees, and other flood protection improvements.

The mission of the Working Group was to:

• Provide an active voice for community members in the Phase 1restoration implementation and flood protection planning
• Provide a forum for contributing to solutions to rising sea levels in the South Bay; and
• Develop ways to more actively engage the general public in supporting future project funding needs.

What did the Work Group do?

Work Group members:

• Helped design the public access improvements at Pond A-18 and the new Bay Trail spine segment adjacent to Sunnyvale that adjoins the existing trail along Stevens Creek;
• Provided input on the restoration actions at Ponds A-6, A-16 and Pond A-8
• Reviewed and provided feedback on proposed Phase 1 research and applied studies
• Reviewed and provided feedback on the Shoreline Study Problems, Opportunities, and Objectives;
• Reviewed and provided feedback on the proposed Shoreline Study project alternatives as they develop

Who Could Participate?

The project managers sought the active involvement of members of the public who live, work and/or recreate within the Alviso/North Santa Clara and South Alameda Counties. In particular, the project partners sought participation from community members representing the following interests or organizations:

• Private industry and Chambers of Commerce
• Homeowners associations
• Environmental groups
• Municipal and county public works and/or planning departments/agencies
• Municipal, county and regional transportation and/or economic development agencies/organizations
• The scientific community
• CalTrans
• Major private utilities, such as Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and retail water companies/agencies
• Recreational interests (e.g., fishing, boating, bicycling, hiking, birding)

The project partners also sought the active involvement of local elected officials and/or their staff from cities in the area—including Fremont, Milpitas, Alviso, San Jose, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto and Mountain View. Members of the SBSP project’s ongoing Stakeholder Forum are also invited to actively participate in this Working Group.

The Alviso Ponds and Santa Clara County Working Group was chaired by Clyde Morris, then Manager of the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge.

Further Information

Read more about the Alviso Ponds & Santa Clara County Working Group.

Alviso Ponds & Santa Clara County Working Group Charter.