Santa Clara Valley Water District removing 30 trees in Saratoga for safety reasons
SARATOGA, Calif. (KGO) -- Thirty drought-weakened trees are coming down in Saratoga over concerns they could fall on people, homes, or power lines.
Crews from the Santa Clara Valley Water District began setting up along Saratoga Creek on Monday to bring down giant Eucalyptus trees - some as tall as 150 feet.
"Since the drought we've seen the trees health in general in the grove decline," said John Chapman with the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
VIDEO: Dozens of trees to be removed along Saratoga Creek
A big concern is the homes that line the creek. "More than a dozen trees in the last couple years have fallen over in the creek area, but they were smaller, shorter trees that didn't cause any significant property damage," said Chapman.
There are about 100 Eucalyptus trees in this area, 30 of which have been damaged. Those are the ones officials say need to go.
"We're really concerned about the stability of a bunch of these trees, particularly the roots and how well they're anchored to the bank," Chapman said.
There have been recent reports of fallen trees across the Bay Area. The latest happened Sunday when a man was trapped under a portion of a downed tree in San Francisco's McLaren Park.
RELATED: Santa Clara Valley groundwater back to pre-drought levels
While officials are trying to get ahead of any potential risks, some residents are worried about what the removal will mean for wildlife in the area.
"Makes me sad that they're going to be displaced," said resident Sue Salutric. She moved to the area 35 years ago because of the natural scenery.
"This is the habitat that so many are depending on, especially the hummingbirds in the winter, the flowers from the Eucalyptus trees are the ones that sustain the ones that don't migrate," Salutric said.
The tree removal process will take two weeks. Once the damaged trees come down, officials plan on putting in new trees that are drought resistant.
