(Watsonville Senior Utilities Engineer Jackie McCloud shows the levee repair work at Salsipuedes Creek near the intersection of East Lake Avenue and Holohan/College roads Monday. Photo by Erik Chalhoub/Pajaronian)
WATSONVILLE — Hundreds of people walk the miles of trails along the Pajaro River and Salsipuedes Creek daily. But as crews are in the midst of a major repair project along the levees, city officials are advising residents to stay off the trails.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the $6.4 million project will repair 17 sites along the Salsipuedes Creek and Pajaro River levees, in an area bordered by Highway 152, Murphy’s Crossing and Highway 1.
A number of places along the channel have experienced land sliding due to the heavy rains that struck the region in early 2017. Crews are currently excavating the loose soil, and filling the holes with large rocks.
Watsonville Senior Utilities Engineer Jackie McCloud said barriers and signage are in place advising residents to keep off trails.
“It’s important for residents to pay attention to the signs and flaggers and stay off the active construction zone,” she said. “We hope residents support us by staying off the levees.”
But still, some people ignore the signage and proceed past the barricades, McCloud said, citing an instance of a biker last week and other pedestrians.
As a result, crews must completely shut down their heavy equipment and wait for pedestrians to pass. This, in turn, delays the workers, who are trying to complete the repairs before the next winter storm hits.
“It’s a huge liability,” McCloud said. “If you hear a flagger say ‘do not enter,’ do not enter. It’s for your safety.”
The repair work is separate from the overall Pajaro River levee project, a years-in-the-making plan that is expected to provide a 100-year level of protection for both Watsonville and Pajaro.
The plan would, among other things, construct 7.3 miles of new levees along the lower Pajaro River as well as five miles of levees on Salsipuedes and Corralitos creeks.
Public comments are currently being incorporated into the plan, which is expected to be released at the end of the year, according to Tom Kendall, chief of planning for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco District.
For now, the repair work will help protect the community from future flooding, McCloud said.
“This is a huge deal for us,” she said. “They are moving fast and they are getting the repairs done.”
