Ghirardelli Associates

GAI Awarded Lower Berryessa Creek, Phase I and II


Ghirardelli Associates was selected by Santa Clara Valley Water District to provide construction management services for the Lower Berryessa Creek Phase I and Phase II project in Milpitas. It will provide 100-year flood protection to approximately 1,800 homes, schools and businesses in Milpitas.
Phase 1 included work on Lower Berryessa Creek from Penitencia Creek to Abel Street, which was divided into two reaches (A and B) for a total length of 2,400 feet. Phase 1 – Lower Berryessa Creek (Penitencia Creek to Abel Street): Raised the existing levee on the southwest bank, replaced the existing levee on the northeast bank with concrete floodwalls, constructed new headwalls, and raised and reconstructs a pedestrian bridge.
Phase 2 consists of improvements to Berryessa Creek from Abel Street to Calaveras Boulevard, which is divided in five reaches (C, D, E, F, and G) for a total of 6,000 feet. Phase 2 also includes improvements on the lower reaches of Calera Creek and Tularcitos Creek for a total of 3,000 feet. Lower Berryessa Creek (Abel Street to Calaveras Boulevard) raises levees, constructs floodwalls including spread footing and cast-in-drilled-hole (CIDH) piles foundation on both sides of the creek, reconstructs pedestrian bridge, constructs transitions structures and headwalls, constructs access roads and on-ramp and off ramps from access roads, including Armorflex paving, removes vegetation and re-vegetation, utility relocation, and outfall repairs.
This project requires permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Clean Water Act Section 404 permit), California Department of Fish and Game (Streambed Alteration Agreement), California Public Utilities Commission (Application for General Order 88-B Approval and compliance with CPUC General Order 26-D), the San Francisco Bay Region Water Quality Control Board (Clean Water Act Section 401 certification of Section 404 permit), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Caltrans encroachment permits for work within state right-of-way. The project also requires encroachment permits from the City of Milpitas, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, Caltrans, Union Pacific Railroad, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, as well as temporary construction easements and permanent easements from the City of Milpitas, the Milpitas Unified School District, and local property owners.
Client: Santa Clara Valley Water District
Location: Milpitas, CA

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