History

When learning about the ponds, I was given a copy of the Master Plan for Los Gatos Creek by the Wytmans. I copied the history of this wonderful place for you to enjoy. It is long, but a very informative read.

Many thanks to Des and Cathy Wytmans for sharing their knowledge of the ponds and their passion to keep it a Wildlife Sanctuary.

The streambed of Los Gatos Creek south of Campbell Avenue has been subject to many alterations for the purposes of obtaining water and gravel since the mid 1850s. An extensive system of gravity irrigation dams and canals had their origin in this region of the creek. At the height of these irrigation canal operations in the early 1900s, there were approximately 25 miles of canals capable of serving a maximum of about 10,000 acres with irrigation water. Two public ditch companies and one private ditch company operated from the creek bed.

The oldest ditch that diverted water from the creek bed was known as the Kirk Ditch. It was owned and operated by an association of about 25 farmers. This ditch was built around 1857 and supplied water from an area east of Los Gatos Creek to Willow Glen area of San Jose. Kirk Ditch paralleled the old streambed of Los Gatos Creek now known as Dry Creek Road. It had a maximum flow capacity of about 40 cfs. The ditch supplied irrigation water to farmers until the mid 1960s when all of the adjacent agricultural land had been converted to home subdivisions. The owner of the irrigation system relinquished his water rights to the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) in 1966. A small portion of the original ditch is still being used to bring water to the McGlincy Percolation Ponds located just east of Highway 17.

The Santa Clara Valley Water Company operated approximately 10 miles of ditches, and diverted water from the creek bed in two locations. The main ditches of this system were know locally as the Duncan Ditch, the Statler Ditch and the Upper Duncan Ditch. The original water rights for the Duncan Ditch were made in 1882, with a second appropriation granted in 1905. The Statler Ditch water right were acquired in 1885. In 1903 the SCVWC was organized and took over operations of these ditches. At its peak in about 1905, the ditch system irrigated approximately 3500 acres. This system gradually deteriorated as a result of several low rainfall years combined with new low-cost well water, and the system was abandoned in the early 1920s. The SCVWC rights were acquired by the Valley Water Conservation Association, and subsequently in February 1930, the Santa Clara Valley Water Conservation District acquired the rights.

The third irrigation system was the Orchard Irrigation Company started by Mr. George Page of Campbell in about 1901. This company owned two ditches, and diverted water to the West bank of the creek at the present location of the Lower page Drop Structure, and the Upper Page Dam on Los Gatos Creek. At their maximum, these ditches irrigated approx. 3000 acres. This system had the lowest priority for water since it was the last to acquire rights and thus had to wait until the demands to the other water companies were met. The Orchard Irrigation Company was absorbed by the Valley Water Conservation Association in the 1920s and then by the Santa Clara Valley Water Conservation District in 1930. WPA funds were used to rebuild the original wooden flashboard dams just prior to the construction of Vasona Dam in 1935. The Vasona Reservoir restored the potential use of these ditches for irrigation purposes. During the late 1950s and all though the 60s, much of the agricultural land served by the lower canal was urbanized, and the need for the lower canal depreciated. Also, during this time extensive gravel mining in the creek bed just below the Lower Page Dam greatly jeopardized the structural integrity of the dam, and it became apparent that the structure would need to be replaced. At this time the Santa Clara County Food Control and Water District decided to complete long-range flood control improvements for this stretch of the creek bed. Because irrigation farmhands were eliminated it was possible to lower the crest of the Lower page Dam to meet the required hydraulics of the upstream and downstream channel configurations. The Upper page Dam also was rebuilt, and an intermediate drop structure was constructed between the two dams. Final flood control improvements, including demolition and reconstruction of the Upper and Lower Page Dams, were completed in the fall of 1930. The Upper Page Ditch is till operated by the SCVWC as a conveyor of water to the percolation ponds in the Campbell area.

Individual property owners along the creek sold gravel and mining rights as needed for gravel for construction as the valley increased. In 1957, when the SCVWC passed a bond issue for increased percolation pond facilities, the District bought the Oak Lane Pond sites, and then contracted with gravel companies to excavate the ponds. The construction of California Highway 17 in the late 1950s and the SCVWD's 6 foot diameter Central Pipeline in the mid 1960s have great impact on this portion of the creek. The highway essentially follows the floodplain of the creek as does the pipeline.

In 1974 a joint effort by the Santa Clara Valley Water District and the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society formulated a Master Plan for the area which is now called Los Gatos Creek Park. This Plan divided the area into two parts separated by Los Gatos Creek, the West side (the area between Los Gatos Creek and Dell Avenue know today as Campbell Ponds), and the East side, (the area between Los Gatos Creek and Highway 17- known today as Oka Ponds) .The west side being used for recreation and the east side being used for wildlife. Until 1974 the area between highway 17 and Los Gatos Creek and between Camden Ave and Oka Lane, was not accessible to the public. Its main use was a ground water recharge facility called Oka Ponds. In 1974 the Audubon Society and the Water District in a joint effort developed a master plan for the area dedicating it as a Wildlife Re-establishment area. It was proposed that the ponds on the East side due to their smaller size and limited in multiple use aspects become a place for re-establishment of displaced species of birds. It was thought of as being a unique and significant resource for bird observation and study. This area still was not open to the public. Many enhancements made the habitat conducive to attracting and maintaining wildlife. Sometime in the 1980s a truck damaged the fence at Oka Lane. This damaged fence became the original public access. Several years later a small bridge over Los Gatos Creek was installed. This original bridge has been replaced with the current much larger bridge.  This is the bridge as it looks today.

*Today, the ponds are home to many species of wildlife. With Los Gatos creek being riparian, some types of trees/bushes there are Willows, Alders, Sycamores, Blackberry and Coyote Bush, also a large fennel patch.  A large number of passerines species can be seen anywhere along the creek. The ponds attract a variety of waterfowl and shorebirds, with winter being the best to find time of year to find them. On any given day you can see 50 to 60 different species of birds. As of 2000-01 109 species have been recorded. Many of the birds use Oka Ponds - Los Gatos Creek and Campbell Ponds as their nesting grounds. Many species are year round residents (see bird list).....

Update 12/22/05: Please note that the Oka Ponds area has been dedicated a wild life sanctuary again in 2004 and we are waiting for interpretive signs to be posted.  The Wytmans, Freddy Howell (owner of the Wild Bird Center)  and I have met with the parks department and viewed their designs for the signs.  I am sure these interpretive signs will be enjoyed by all.
 

* Added by Linda Sullivan