The Cuesta basin in the original EIR was 4.5 acres, not 7.5 acres.

I'm sorry, but this sort of smacks of "We over exaggerated our needs to get the things we wanted built. But now that one of them cannot be built, suddenly we find we need less than we thought so that it will still work." I also find it ridiculous that MV is putting so much effort into preventing a flood that they have no modern record of being an issue.

Another govenment spending plan based on flawed data? Hmmm. I see a pattern here...

I've heard that another 1,000 homes in the area could be "saved" with improvements to Hale Creek. Those improvements are defined, but they didn't make the cut when the project plan called for basins at 4 locations. Perhaps with no investment now needed at Blach, the Hale Creek improvements could make their way into the plan.

It would surprise many residents that the current plan of improvements to Permanente Creek will not change their flood zone status...even some of those living very near Permanente. Their status would change with these known improvements to Hale Creek.

Maybe a local paper could do some investigation.

I've read that there was a very bad flood in Mountain View in the early 1950s in the area near Cuesta Park. Could the Voice dig up some of the details?

My understanding is that as a result of that flood a diversion canal was constructed flowwing east from Miramonte to Stevens Creek near MVHS.

The diversion canal you mention is the diversion channel in the last two paragraphs of the article. There has been no major flooding since the channel was built. That doesn't mean it can't happen but it's at least less likely than it once was.

"300 Acres that do not drain into [Permanente] Creek"; that's less than 1/2 sq. mi. And that would eliminate a dam and make a flood basin smaller?? What else would "reduce the need for a dam" mean??

Bruce, my house is in the area where there was a flood in 1955 or 1956 [I chased high-water marks from those floods thru N. Cal., brutal]. I drove El Camino from P.A. north in the 1958 flood which was pretty bad, couldn't always see the median line. I see no evidence of damage from any flood.

Conclusion: I don't think there is nearly enuf info for a conclusion.

I was here in the 1950s, and there was lots of rain and flooding, along with logging in the mountains and new construction throughout the area. If it happened to that extent today, Hwy 237 would be underwater near Alviso, and parts of MV could be underwater as well, in which case flood basins at Cuesta and McKelvey would be invaluable.

Let's say you own one of the 1600 houses 'at risk'. Why should everyone else get billed to save your b*tt?

How many minutes would it take to fill these little basins in the great flood. Not many I suspect. If the basins are below the drain system, how would they be drained after a normal winter day of rain. One of them is a ball park. Needs to be kept dry. Stagnant water can't stay in these basins.