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 August 18, 2025

Stanford formally started the state (California Environmental Quality Act) and federal (National Environmental Policy Act) environmental review processes for the Searsville Watershed Restoration Project (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).

After the flooding of San Francisquito Creek in late December 2022, the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority (SFCJPA) and the Santa Clara Valley Water District began re-examining the creek modeling (hydrologic and hydraulic). The Army Corps of Engineers completed its review of the modeling on July 23, 2025, and made changes to both models. Stanford is now conducting updated modeling and analyses for the Searsville Watershed Restoration Project (SWRP) which incorporates this new modeling information.

In addition, Stanford continues to work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to better understand the newly revised National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) guidelines.