Santa Clara water district to pay $8.25M to settle 2017 flooding lawsuit

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The Santa Clara Valley water district agreed to pay $8.25 million to settle lawsuits from families whose homes near downtown San Jose flooded in 2017. 

The water district will pay money to 231 families whose homes were damaged when the Coyote Creek flooded on Fed. 21, 2017. 

SEE ALSO: Marin County Sheriff won't share license plate data with agencies outside California

The disaster caused an estimated $100 million in damage and the emergency evacuation of 14,000 people who lived near the creek. 

The victims said the water district should bear the responsibility because it did not maintain vegetation and sediment in the creek channel. They also criticize the district for improperly operating the Anderson Dam. 

The 2017 San Jose flood was the worst flood since 1997.