CASA DE FRUTA EXPANSION

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has authorized a limited streambed alteration project under EPIMS Notification No. EPIMS-SCL-64969-R3 for the County of Santa Clara to construct a seasonal ford crossing on Pacheco Creek. This project involves placing two 30-inch culverts within the low-flow channel at a historically used crossing location, with the crossing measuring approximately 100 feet in length and 20 feet in width. The culverts will be installed at an angled orientation to promote fish passage, and stored and adjacent stream gravels will be placed over them using rubber-tired backhoes to create a stable crossing surface. The work is constrained to the creek’s natural low-flow area to minimize environmental disruption. The project is associated with the CASA DE FRUTA EXPANSION initiative, as identified in the agency’s public forecast listing. The lead agency contact is Patrick Murphy of Santa Clara County, with Emily Carlson of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife serving as the environmental scientist and primary point of contact. Although the notice is posted for a forecasted date in August 2026, the authorization under Fish and Game Code section 1602 is active and requires adherence to specific streambed alteration conditions. The place of performance is listed as Hollister, California, indicating the broader regional context despite the project’s localized scope on Pacheco Creek.