The Kirk Diversion Dam is located on Los Gatos Creek in the town of Los Gatos about 2,000-feet northwest of the intersection of Highways 85 and 17. The Kirk-Page turnout that controls diversion of the water is located on the east bank of Los Gatos Creek, about 70-feet upstream of the dam.
Project goal:
The Kirk Diversion Dam Replacement and Fish Screen Project will replace an existing steel-paneled flashboard dam with a more efficient system. The existing steel-flashboard dam holds back water in the channel to replenish the groundwater basin. Water from the Dam diverts to the Kirk and Page recharge facilities year-round except during periods when it’s expected Lexington Reservoir spills. At that time, the district removes the diversion dam improve conveyance of high flows through the dam site.
The proposed project would replace the existing steel-paneled flashboard dam with a more efficient inflatable dam system to maintain operational capabilities and to install two fish screens at the Kirk-Page turnout to protect the aquatic species such as fish, frogs and turtles from being entrained at the Kirk and Page Recharge systems.
The proposed project would accomplish the following objectives:
Preserve the district’s ability to exercise its water rights consistent with board policy EL-7.6
Maximize the use of the dam without increasing the risk of flooding consistent with board policy E-2.2
Minimize exposure of staff to a potentially hazardous environment during removal and reinstallation of the dam.
Perform operations and maintenance in a more environmentally sensitive manner by minimizing the need for construction equipment or activities in streams and entrainment of aquatic species in recharge systems consistent with board policy E-1.
Water district contacts:
For more information about this project, contact: