Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
January 4, 2008
5. Agencies, Programs, People
FLOOR LIABILITY LAWS:
New laws address flood liability New laws on flood risks aimed at sharing liability; Cities, counties could be made to split cost of damages - Inside Bay Area
EMERGENCY PERSONNEL:
State deploys flood teams, emergency personnel for storms - Associated Press
SANDBAGS:
Flood-prone Lode residents can get sandbags -
NORTH COAST CONDITIONS:
MENDOCINO, LAKE: Heavy rains could cause flooding along
WATER ISSUES:
Guest Column: Public gradually becoming aware of
FLOOR LIABILITY LAWS:
New laws address flood liability New laws on flood risks aimed at sharing liability; Cities, counties could be made to split cost of damages
Inside Bay Area – 1/4/07
By Paul Burgarino, staff writer
Among the new state laws taking effect in 2008 are a pair that will trickle down some of the state's burden for flood risk damage.
As of Tuesday, cities and counties could be forced to cover a share of the damage caused by flooding if they approve new development without being prudent in considering flood risks.
Another new law requires municipalities in the flood-prone
That law, originally sponsored by Assemblyman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento, requires local governments, under certain circumstances, to share liability for flood-related damages with the state.
Previously, a state appellate court said,
The new law does not completely absolve the state of its liability.
"This is a fair and rational measure that will encourage local officials to consider the risk of catastrophic flooding before approving new developments in flood plains," Jones said in a news release. "It is not about punishing local governments. It's about prevention."
The law applies only to areas cur-rently devoted to agricultural use or open space not already designated for development and new developments submitted after Jan. 1.
Similarly, State Bill 5 requires the state Department of Water Resources and the Central Valley Flood Protection to prepare and adopt flood protection by 2012 and establishes certain flood protection requirements for certain land-use decisions.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Mike Machado, D-Linden, requires that each city and county in the Central Valley incorporate the flood plan's data, policies and implementation measures into its general plan within 24 months. It also prohibits a city or county from entering into a development agreement without proving some sort of stringent flood protection that meets Federal Emergency Management Agency standards.
"It begs a very interesting question," said Thomas Flinn, the county's Public Works director, adding that
"It's connected to what we've been working on at the county level, but it's much more of a question for cities to answer," he said.
City leaders in south
"Basically, Lathrop has always considered flood hazards area very carefully in land use decisions," Mayor Kristy Sayles said. "Where issues arise, we'll continue to engage in a collaborative dialogue with the new developer to ensure they have that same level of protection.
Lathrop has taken several flood protection measures in build out, including requiring installment of toe drains — a pipe or open ditch along the side of a levee that carries off seepage.
Lathrop has done a good job of providing flood plains and making set-backs available, Sayles said.
"We've always been on pretty solid ground with our developments. We've been relatively cautious," Mayor Willie Weatherford said, noting that
Having cities and counties share part of the burden while adopting tougher standards should be considered around the country, Weatherford said.
"I think it's part of the same thing. Allowing people to live in an area that's susceptible to flood while giving new people coming in a false sense of security, like we've seen around the country, it isn't right," he said. #
EMERGENCY PERSONNEL:
State deploys flood teams, emergency personnel for storms
Associated Press – 1/3/08
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says the state Office of Emergency Services will activate its emergency center on Friday.
Officials are asking residents to avoid driving across flooded roads or into the Sierra, where about 10 feet of snow is predicted for higher elevations.
Forecasters say three major storms will dump rain on the mudslide-prone canyons of Southern California, produce high winds in the
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_7873681
SANDBAGS:
Flood-prone Lode residents can get sandbags
By Dana Nichols, staff writer
Calaveras County Supervisor Bill Claudino said he asked for the stations after he realized early in the week that the forecast storms could equal or surpass the downpours in early 2006 that caused flooding of homes along Cosgrove Creek in Valley Springs.
A proposed flood control project for the area has yet to be completed, and even routine maintenance to remove debris from the bed of Cosgrove Creek has been held up because the county has been unable to get a required federal permit, Claudino said.
"I am so frustrated I can't express it," Claudino said of the lack of a permit to clean the streambed. "It is a quagmire."
The county must get a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers to do work in the streambed because portions of the waterway might be home to endangered species, including the red-legged frog.
That outrages Ted Cook, owner of a home along the creek that suffered flood damage in 2006. "It is very sad that a red-legged frog is going to be saved and 18 homes will be destroyed," Cook said.
A spokesman for the
The majority of the sandbag stations were established in Valley Springs because of the high flood hazard there. #
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080104/A_NEWS/801040318
NORTH COAST CONDITIONS:
MENDOCINO, LAKE: Heavy rains could cause flooding along
Santa Rosa Press Democrat – 1/4/08
By Mike Geniella, staff writer
The first heavy rain of the season fell Thursday across Mendocino and
Blizzard-like conditions with snow and gusty winds swept across higher elevations in the remote regions of both counties, but no major problems were reported.
Weather officials, however, were predicting the real weather test could come today.
Highway 128 along the flood-prone
The National Weather Service in
"Just looking at the rainfall, and how much is needed, this is a wonderful series of storms," said forecaster Troy Nicolini. But Nicolini said travelers and residents in river regions need to be cautious because of slippery conditions, rock slides, downed trees and power lines.
Flooding along the lower reaches of Navarro before the river empties into the Pacific Ocean is a sure sign that wet weather on the
The fast-rising
Flows at Hopland doubled in a 24-hour period ending Thursday afternoon, and they were expected to soar overnight if the rain envelopes the region.
Flows into water-starved
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080104/NEWS/801040349/1033/NEWS01
WATER ISSUES:
Guest Column: Public gradually becoming aware of
By Tim Quinn, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies and Stan Williams, general manager of the Santa Clara Valley Water District
What would you do if you were told to prepare for a 75 percent cut in water deliveries next year?
That's essentially what the state Department of Water Resources told water agencies last month when it announced an initial supply forecast of just 25 percent for 2008. Water managers knew this would be a tough year for water deliveries, with court-ordered cutbacks, drought conditions and climate change all creating problems for the state's water system. But few expected the state's initial forecast to be so low.
Despite this weekend's storms, water supplies are critically low. And, although there has been intense media coverage and attention by the governor and legislators, it has been difficult to get the public to focus on the state's water problems. In the fall, a statewide coalition of 450 public water agencies decided to launch a public education program to inform people about critical challenges now confronting the state's water supply and delivery system. The good news is that the education program is working - the public is beginning to understand not only the variety of issues facing the state, but the severity of the problem as well.
Water is a critical resource for
Experts forecast that 1.8 million people will be living here by 2010, and the county will add another 127,000 residents by 2020. New population growth brings an increased demand for water. Although the Santa Clara Valley Water District has been aggressively working to reduce residential and commercial water use through conservation and efficiency programs, these programs alone are not enough to shield residents from the growing water crisis.
One of the biggest worries is the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the single most important link in
An important environmental resource, the delta is home to 750 species of plants and wildlife, including the threatened delta smelt. However, the delta is in an ecological crisis that threatens both our water supply and the environment.
Recently, a federal court ordered the state's two largest water systems to cut deliveries by up to nearly one-third next year to protect the fish - potentially the largest court-ordered water supply reduction in
This natural estuary is a critical link in
The extremely low state water allocation for 2008 and below-average precipitation are creating major worries for local water managers.
Never before has
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