Searsville Watershed Restoration Project

Welcome!

Stanford University is proposing to implement the Searsville Watershed Restoration Project to restore and enhance this watershed.

About the Project

The Searsville Watershed Restoration Project involves:

Reestablishing natural free-flowing creeks and sediment transport processes
Establishing fish passage through a tunnel to be constructed through the base of the Searsville Dam
Restoring streams and riparian habitats immediately upstream of the dam
Flushing a substantial amount of sediment currently trapped behind the dam
Replacing the surface water diversion and storage capacity through modifications to the downstream San Francisquito Creek Pump Station and Felt Reservoir

This will transform the area of the current Searsville Reservoir into a confluence valley, complete with freeflowing streams and a natural riparian forest. This project will also allow for sediment to be transported to the bay where it will help restore natural functions and fortify the shoreline.

Current Project Status

Updated March 25, 2026

Stanford formally started the state California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review processes for the SWRP in February 2023. The environmental application review process is being conducted by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

A Notice of Intent (NOI) and Notice of Preparation (NOP) related to the Searsville project was previously published in February 2023. Changes in hydrologic and hydraulic modeling for San Francisquito Creek following publication of the previous notices led to changes in the proposed project. A new 404 permit application was submitted on January 26, 2026.  

Interested parties are encouraged to engage in the process, and comments on the NOI and NOP for the environmental documents are currently being accepted. Comments can be submitted to USACE and DWR anytime during the NOI/NOP review period, which ends on April 17, 2026.  

Two virtual public scoping meetings will be held on April 7 and April 8, 2026:

Tuesday, April 7, 2026 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. 

Meeting link: https://kearnswest.zoom.us/j/87367664795?pwd=wnm3EeC2TO6bDTlgPP6PbLf2ib0cuA.1 Dial-in Number:  309-205-3325

Meeting ID: 873 6766 4795

Passcode: 939758

Wednesday, April 8, 2026 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

Meeting link: https://kearnswest.zoom.us/j/89869392029?pwd=VaMqVfwbbrvmmAA849OFVhiYPrHWL7.1

Dial-in Number: 309-205-3325

Meeting ID: 898 6939 2029

Passcode: 095441

Click here to access the US Army Corps of Engineers Notice of Intent. Comments to the Army Corps are due by April 17, 2026.

Click here to access the Department of Water Resources Notice of Preparation. Comments to the Department of Water Resources are due by April 17, 2026.