The Santa Clara Valley Water District was created by an act of the California Legislature, and operates as a state of California Special District, with jurisdiction throughout Santa Clara County. The Act has been amended several times since its initial passage. The current version of the District Act may be accessed below:
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The powers and purposes of Valley Water include:
To provide comprehensive water management for all beneficial uses and protection from flooding within Santa Clara County; to protect Santa Clara County from floodwater and stormwater of the district, including tidal floodwater and the floodwater and stormwater of streams that have their sources outside the district but flow into the district; to protect from floodwater or stormwater the public highways, life and property in the district, and the watercourses and watersheds of streams flowing within the district; to provide for the conservation and management of floodwater, stormwater, or recycled water, or other water from any sources within or outside the watershed for beneficial and useful purposes, including spreading, storing, retaining, and causing the water to percolate into the soil within the district; to protect, save, store, recycle, distribute, transfer, exchange, manage, and conserve in any manner any of the waters; to increase and prevent the waste or diminution of the water supply in the district; to obtain, retain, protect, and recycle drainage, stormwater, floodwater, or treated wastewater, or other water from any sources, within or outside the watershed in which the district is located for any beneficial uses within the district; to enhance, protect, and restore streams, riparian corridors, and natural resources in connection with carrying out the purposes set forth in this section; and to preserve open space in Santa Clara County and support the county park system.