These ancient elephant bones were found on the Santa Clara Valley Water District property, a special district that manages this watershed. The State Lands Commission is reviewing its jurisdiction over the site. It should be noted that fossils found on state lands in California belong to all the citizens of the state. The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provide legal protection of these paleontological resources.

The University of California Museum of Paleontology is a recognized state repository that provides the required level of access, conservation, collections and database management, to insure that the scientific significance of UCMP collections is preserved in perpetuity for the public good. UCMP is cooperating with the SCVWD to insure that these responsibilities are met.

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