Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
June 5, 2007
5. Agencies, Programs, People
ALL
Canal-lining project set to move forward - North
FLOOD ISSUES:
Editorial: Flood liabilities; Bill to make communities share state's risk faces key test -
W. Sac to hold last flood protection workshop - Sacramento Bee
ALL
Canal-lining project set to move forward
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday denied a petition by the city of
The city had argued that its residents would be harmed economically and environmentally by the lining project. Calexico is heavily dependent on cross- border commerce from neighboring
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The project could save 56,000 acre feet of water from seeping into the ground every year. But in doing so, Mexican farmers will lose that ground water they have counted on for decades.
The lining opponents have said they are prepared to take their case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Calexico City Attorney Jennifer Lyon said last week that "all litigation strategies will be discussed with my council on June 5," the newspaper reported. #
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/06/05/news/sandiego/15_31_706_4_07.txt
FLOOD ISSUES:
Editorial: Flood liabilities; Bill to make communities share state's risk faces key test
The 2007 legislative session is shaping up as a historic year for flood control -- or more accurately, ending the lack of control over flood risk and liability.
Key players are finally working together on solutions. They include Lois Wolk and Dave Jones in the Assembly, Mike Machado and Darrell Steinberg in the Senate and, most important, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The governor is floating a proposal that would prevent the approval of new subdivisions in flood basins that lack adequate levee protection.
If everything works out, the main players will come together on a bill, or a series of bills, that will guide the spending of flood bonds and reduce the risk for residents and state taxpayers.
Yet until such a deal is hatched, legislators need to continue advancing smart bills already on the table. One of those could come up as early as today on the Assembly floor.
For the second year in a row, Jones wants local governments to share liability with the state for flood damages in the Valley.
Because of recent court decisions, state taxpayers can now face liabilities of several billion dollars whenever a state-controlled levee breaks and floods hundreds of houses.
Jones has attempted to craft the legislation, Assembly Bill 70, to address local governments' concerns. As a result, his plan for shared liability would not apply to property already in the floodplain. It would only require the locals to share liability for new homes planned for "undeveloped" floodplains, such as ag areas in the Valley.
That sharing of risk is entirely reasonable -- but not for the League of California Cities, real estate agents, builders and other groups that like the status quo. They say it's unfair to hold local governments partly liable for a levee system the state operates and maintains. Yet as an analysis of the bill states, "It is equally unfair to hold the state entirely liable for damages when it has no control over what goes behind those levees."
Schwarzenegger says he supports the shared liability concept. That would mean more if he made a few phone calls to Republicans in the Legislature and helped them understand the enormous threat to the state budget if this bill doesn't become law. #
http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/story/51826.html
W. Sac to hold last flood protection workshop
WEST SACRAMENTO -- The final workshop in the city's series about flood protection is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. today in the
Property owners will have the chance to ask questions related to the vote-by-mail election on flood protection assessments, according to a news release.
Ballots were mailed on May 22 to property owners in the city, and the ballots must be returned by July 10.
If approved, the measure will provide about half of the local match needed for several hundred million dollars in state and federal financing for levee upgrades, the news release said.
The amount of each property owner's assessment depends upon several factors, including parcel size and potential flood risk.
More information is available at the Web site www.westsacfloodprotection.com or by calling (916) 617-4508. #
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