Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation for DWR personnel of significant news articles and comment
February 7, 2008
1. Top Items
Schwarzenegger to release $211 million early for flood control projects -
Levee projects get boost; Natomas to be declared hazard zone, will get $49m to repair levees there - Woodland Daily Democrat
Levees getting early funds; Governor expedites Prop 1E money for four Yuba-Sutter repair projects - Marysville Appeal Democrat
Governor Calls For Fast Pace On Levee Work; Bond Money Slated For Improvements - KCRA Channel 3
Schwarzenegger to release $211 million early for flood control projects
By Deb Kollars, staff writer
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger delivered welcome news Wednesday to several communities in the region, including
Standing on a levee next to the
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency recently said Natomas levees are less stable than previously believed. As a result, the area will be put into a flood hazard zone at the end of this year, a designation that comes with building elevation requirements tough enough to effectively shut down new construction in the area.
Lester Snow, director of the California Department of Water Resources, said the state's cash infusion will come from Propositions 1E and 84, which voters approved in 2006 to improve flood control. The Schwarzenegger administration decided to release the $211 million through an "Early Implementation" process, rather than going through the normal state budget cycle this spring and summer, to make sure engineers and construction crews can take advantage of the upcoming construction season.
"We cannot afford to fail," Snow said. "We cannot afford to fall behind."
Schwarzenegger said Wednesday he would do all he could to speed up levee repairs, including possibly declaring a state of emergency to hasten the review and permitting process - something the city of Sacramento and Natomas developers have been seeking in recent weeks. Snow, however, said he did not believe such a declaration would be needed or forthcoming.
Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo was among numerous local and state officials who attended Wednesday's news conference atop the levee and expressed gratitude for the swift assistance.
"These levees protect lives and the regional economy,"
Three other areas also will receive early flood control bond money:
• Levee District 1 in
• Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority in
• Reclamation District 2103 in
http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/693050.html
Levee projects get boost; Natomas to be declared hazard zone, will get $49m to repair levees there
Woodland Daily Democrat – 2/7/08
By Robin Hindrey, staff writer
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday that he will use $211 million in bond funds to fast-track four major
About $49 million of those funds will go to the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency's levee improvement program in Natomas, where the governor made his announcement.
The rapidly growing area is facing an uncertain future after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last month deemed sections of its levee system unsafe. In response, the federal government announced it intends to designate
Schwarzenegger called Natomas "the perfect example" of why levee repair is so vital.
"This (bond) money is an important step in addressing the serious public safety concerns that have also put hundreds of millions of dollars of Natomas development in jeopardy," he said Wednesday.
The Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency hopes to complete the Natomas levee upgrade by 2010 to bring the system up to the federal government's minimum requirement of 100-year flood protection. After that, growth in the Natomas basin could resume.
The remainder of the $211 million - which will be distributed by the California Department of Water Resources - will go to the Lower River Setback Levee at Star Bend in
The money will come from Proposition 1E funds, a $4.1 billion disaster preparedness and flood prevention bond approved by voters in 2006.
In January, Schwarzenegger called on his cabinet and the legislature to work on speeding the release of $29 billion in unused bond money for infrastructure projects - an effort, he said, to fight unemployment and strengthen the state economy.
Schwarzenegger on Wednesday also sent a letter to President Bush urging him to increase federal flood protection for
"
The federal budget Bush proposed last week would decrease
http://www.dailydemocrat.com/news/ci_8195764
Levees getting early funds; Governor expedites Prop 1E money for four Yuba-Sutter repair projects
Marysville Appeal Democrat – 2/6/08
By Robert LaHue, staff writer
Standing atop a south Sutter County levee, water in the Natomas Cross Canal
"I remember you telling me, 'You will be talking about levees and people will just look at you' (and saying) 'What are you talking about?'" Schwarzenegger said to Montna. "And sure enough, that's exactly what happened in the beginning — until in New Orleans
Yuba and Sutter counties received a benefit from the attention that Schwarzenegger is giving levees. The governor announced Wednesday he is speeding up implementing $211 million in Proposition 1E funds to four levee improvement projects, all of which are entirely or partially in the two counties.
"This money is very important," Schwarzenegger said. "It's an important step in addressing the serious public safety concerns we have."
The early release of funds is intended for four projects: $138.5 million for a setback levee along the Feather River in the Plumas Lake area of Yuba County; $16.3 million for a setback levee at Star Bend on the Feather River south of Yuba City; $7.4 million for levee rehabilitation on the north side of the Bear River near Wheatland; and $49 million toward fixing levees protecting the Natomas Basin, the northern portion of which is in south Sutter County.
"We have to recognize the fact that our levees are more than 100 years old," Schwarzenegger said, "that our levees were built by farmers 100 years ago, and they did a great job. But then, with infrastructure, you have to keep it up."
For the contingent of Yuba-Sutter elected officials present, it means the bond money for levee repairs — for which the counties and levee districts qualified early in the game by committing money from their budgets to go toward the repairs — is coming as much as a year faster than it would have otherwise. "With the governor giving this money quicker than what it was, we can get that project done in a faster thing for the protection of Sutter County and Yuba County
Al Montna said he believes the regional benefit of the Yuba-Sutter projects is what triggered their early funding.
"It benefited more people in a larger land mass," he said.
When repaired, the improved levees will benefit the entire region, Yuba County Supervisor John Nicoletti said.
"Today's levees are built far superior than the original ones, and we've reached in Yuba County
State Department of Water Resources Director Lester Snow said that without the governor's order to release the bond money early, the projects would not have received funding until the next budget was adopted.
"So rather than waiting for the budget to be adopted this year, we actually started the process of identifying projects that could move forward and fund them before the 2008 construction season," Snow said.
Larry Montna said construction on levee projects this year is possible now, depending on the results of bidding.
"I'm hoping that, at least," he said.
The governor has included another $170 million in Prop 1E early implementation funds and $126 million for continuing levee evaluation in his budget, Snow added.
Schwarzenegger said people can expect to see his presence working to improve the state's levees "many many more times."
Yuba-Sutter officials gave the indication they don't mind that at all.
"I can't tell you how many times I personally have stood on levees, water up to the top of them, trying to convince elected officials we have to do this," Al Montna said. "This governor is going to do it." #
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/levee_60038___article.html/levees_talking.html
Governor Calls For Fast Pace On Levee Work; Bond Money Slated For Improvements
KCRA Channel 3 – 1/6/08
The governor spoke Wednesday at the
Schwarzenegger pushed for a speedy effort on three projects -- levees in
Proposition 1E, the disaster preparedness and flood prevention initiative that passed in November, 2006, was designed to provide million of dollars toward infrastructure.
Those funds would be used on the improvements.
"I am very happy today that we're here in announcing that we are speeding up $211 million of Proposition 1E bond money to improve our levees here and at three other sites," Schwarzenegger said. "This money is an important step in addressing the serious public safety concerns that we have that have put hundreds of millions of dollars of Natomas development in jeopardy."
"We've never had a governor who understood the importance of flood protection and treated these levees like the infrastructure that they are,"
The announcement means that improvements to the
About $72 or $73 million will be released from Proposition 1E for improvements on the
The canal, which carries storm water runoff around the 34-square mile Natomas basin to the
The levees need a 75-foot slurry wall to ensure stability.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently determined that the levee system around Natomas is only good for one 33-year flood event. That needs to be raised to a 100 or 200-year protection plan. #
http://www.kcra.com/news/15237175/detail.html
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