Thursday April 28, 2022
ABC 7 —
Flying over the sweeping green hills, Coyote Valley can seem a world away from the urban core of Santa Clara County. But when it comes to water, it’s connected in ways that are becoming increasingly important in the face of drought and climate change.
“Absolutely. Coyote Valley is a great model for what can be done around the state,” says Marc Landgraf of the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority.
The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority helped secure land in the northern part of the valley for restoration. Landgraf says the area is a key resource for both natural flood control, and recharging the area’s critical groundwater aquifers, which connect to basins in the Santa Clara Valley. The watershed gathers at the valley’s low point, Laguna Seca, during the rainy season.
“Which allows floodwaters to spread during big storm events. That also allows recharge of the aquifer that connects to the water source for the two million people here in the South Bay,” he explains.