About Coyote Creek
Coyote Creek is actually a river! It is over 64-miles long and is the largest watershed in Santa Clara County. Its headwaters are in Henry Coe Park, and it runs through Morgan Hill, Gilroy, and downtown San Jose and into San Francisco Bay. This diverse ecosystem includes creeks, dams, urban areas, percolation ponds, saline environments, and over 20 miles of scenic biking and hiking trails.
The Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Collaborative Effort (FAHCE) agreement of 2003 established a framework for long term resolution of the fishery restoration issues and the achievement of the restoration of this valuable resource. This project was a multi-agency project convened by the Santa Clara Valley Water District and the Department of Fish and Game to develop an interim fisheries and aquatic habitat management plan.
The goals of FAHCE are:
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Identify the contribution of SCVWD facilities and operations to existing fishery habitat conditions within the context of the variety of factors impacting salmonid populations.
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Identify reasonable flow and non-flow measurements that will improve habitat conditions for such fish populations within the context of competing water and land use demands.
From the report, specific issues and actions were recommended for the affected watersheds (Guadalupe River, Stevens Creek, and Coyote Creek). One main issue is that the Coyote Creek watershed is an important steelhead restoration opportunity. The main locations for fish spawning are down stream of Anderson Dam and parts of Upper Penitencia Creek.