Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation for DWR personnel of significant news articles and comment
March 19, 2008
1. Top Item
Levee agency moves to acquire land
Marysville Appeal Democrat – 3/19/08
By Andrea Koskey, staff writer
The Anderson family knows the effects of flooding first hand — Mary Anderson's mother-in-law drowned in the 1997 flood — and does not oppose a setback levee along the Feather River.
The family only asks to be fairly compensated for the loss of income when its property is taken.
Anderson and her husband, David, live on the property where 40 acres of walnut trees grow and produce income for their elderly mother, Berdina.
"They said if we were selling, we wouldn't ask for compensation for the trees because we'd be happy to sell,"
Tuesday, the Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority approved 15 documents declaring the necessity to acquire the property, including 18 acres from the
TRLIA approved the construction of six miles of setback levee, meant to protect communities from Olivehurst south to
"I know I'm going to lose the land," Berdina Anderson said, "but I would like something to pay for the trees."
TRLIA's board of directors approved all the documents of necessity in a 4-0 vote with Director Don Graham abstaining because he is a neighbor of nearly half of the properties in question.
"I don't like to take land from my neighbors," he said before the vote. "I didn't join the board to take land. I joined to provide safety to the people of
Board President Mary Jane Griego echoed Graham's concern, saying the decision was not an easy one.
"It's a difficult business decision that has a direct impact on local business people," Griego said.
TRLIA Executive Director Paul Brunner said even with these resolutions, he will continue to negotiate price with property owners in order to complete work by the end of the year.
"We are impacting their lives. I understand where they are coming from," he said.
Representatives from Naumes Inc. were also at the meeting to ask the board to consider the harvest season when creating the construction timeline.
Representatives said if they wait until September, it won't disrupt the businesses profits and production for this harvest.
"It's a situation where we're farming, but not knowing if we'll have the property come harvest time," said Robert Boggess, CEO of Naumes Inc.
TRLIA is taking 637 acres from Naumes, the project's largest acquisition. Naumes declined to state an amount offered by TRLIA.
Brunner said regardless of negotiations with property owners, funding for the entire project would more likely affect the timeline to move the project forward.
"All of the real estate acquisition we will continue to do in good faith," he said, " and we will try to meet the goal and complete the project this year." #
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/land_61676___article.html/family_levee.html
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