The New Pacheco Dam

Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water) is proposing to build a new reservoir located in the foothills east of the Santa Clara Valley, 1.8 miles upstream of the existing dam.

FOR is concerned about the proposed new Pacheco Dam because:

This Project is Illegal

Located in the foothills east of the Santa Clara Valley, Pacheco puts a reservoir on a portion Henry Coe State Park. This is a violation of the California Public Resources Code and will set a terrible precedent that could threaten parks all over the state.

This Project is Expensive

At $2.12 billion, the proposed new Pacheco Dam is an expensive deadbeat project in need of cash from state taxpayers. Valley Water is looking at taxpayers to contribute nearly $500 million and their customers will be expected to foot the remainder of the bill. When the Board voted to continue this project, one board member was quoted saying, “All of us should work toward completing this project, as long as it takes and how much it ever costs.”

This Project is Environmentally Destructive

The proposed new Dam claims to provide benefits for sensitive fisheries, yet may not fill most years and will destroy critical habitat for numerous other threatened and endangered species.

This Project is Not Climate Resilient

The proposed project will increase greenhouse gas emissions and is counterintuitive to statewide climate initiatives such as 30 x 30.