The San Jose Water Company (SJWC) is a privately-owned water supply company servicing over one million customers in San Jose and other South Bay communities. The Los Gatos Creek Watershed is an important surface water supply within SJWC’s overall water supply system. SJWC manages five reservoirs, several raw water intake facilities, roadside culverts, and approximately 6,000 acres of forested and open space land within this watershed. SJWC maintenance activities in the watershed include vegetation management, sediment and debris removal, dams and diversion structure maintenance, road grading, culvert maintenance, and streambank repair.

Horizon developed the Los Gatos Creek Watershed Maintenance Program Manual (Maintenance Manual) that describes SJWC’s standard maintenance activities, physical resources, and identifies impact avoidance and minimization measures. Horizon developed the CEQA EIR compliance documentation, the program’s federal and state permit applications, and a detailed compensatory wetland mitigation plan. Horizon also successfully coordinated with the regulators to secure long-term permits. While programmatic permits were being developed, Horizon conducted habitat surveys and provided environmental training for SJWC maintenance staff.