Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
April 10, 2008
5. Agencies, Programs, People
LEVEE UPGRADES:
Wheatland moves to bolster levees - Marysville Appeal Democrat
FLOOD ZONE ISSUES:
FEMA brings flood zone report to McCloud - Mt Shasta News
WATER AGENCY RE-MAPPING:
Water agency revamps seven division maps - Antelope Valley Press
Coachella Valley Water District honored for its Coachella Canal Lining Project - Desert Sun
LEVEE UPGRADES:
Wheatland moves to bolster levees
Marysville Appeal Democrat – 4/9/08
By Nancy Pasternack, staff writer
As soon as Wheatland upgrades its levees to withstand a 200-year flood, it can issue building permits to developers who have been in a holding pattern for years.
And when those developers build and sell homes, they can contribute enough impact fee money to help update and expand the town's spent sewer and wastewater treatment system.
But the process can't start without money.
"It's the chicken and the egg," Mayor Enita Elphick said at Tuesday night's City Council meeting.
A complex series of moves were laid out in an effort to get things started.
The council unanimously agreed to transfer $2 million from the sewer impact fee fund to its general fund, allowing the city to loan money to developers so they can pay their share of levee improvement costs.
Because of the slumping housing market, Lakemont Homes and Woodside Homes — currently invested in Jones Ranch and Heritage Oaks East subdivisions — have been unable to come up with the money they originally promised for the levee project, according to City Manager Stephen Wright.
The two pending subdivisions represent some 1,100 new homes.
That $2 million will enable the city to match a state grant of $7.34 million for the levee work.
And it will allow requests for levee work bids to go out for the current construction season. Theoretically, that will help avoid any future construction cost increases.
"We need to push this project forward as quickly as we can," said City Engineer Tom Fossum.
"There are very few pieces of equipment in the country that can do this work," said Darrel Steinman, a Reclamation District 2103 board member.
The sooner a request for proposals can be drawn up and posted, the more likely Wheatland will be to get the necessary machinery.
Parts of a levee slurry wall currently under construction will reach to depths of 50 feet, he said.
Getting the state grant money is contingent upon an imminent start for the project.
"If we lose that grant," said Elphick, "we're facing some big issues."
The council also voted to amend the city's current development impact fees — money developers pay to offset infrastructure costs associated with land use and population growth.
The new increase in fees reflects rising costs in sewer collection and wastewater treatment, according to city officials.
The council voted to raise a cap in those fees from $2,500 per new single family home to $2,800.
Gordon Wilkins of Wheatland voiced his approval of the council's stance.
"This is the right thing (to do), instead of passing costs on to the residents of Wheatland," he said.
City studying alliance with Chevron
Wheatland is looking at a possible future alliance with Chevron Energy Solutions.
The oil company has consulted with city officials about teaming up to bid for a wastewater treatment contract at Beale Air Force Base. The project is one of four privatization efforts under way at Beale.
Chevron's suggested arrangement would have Wheatland leasing and operating the base's wastewater treatment plant with the oil company providing engineers and funding for the project.
Chevron Energy Solutions, a unit of Chevron Corp., designs and constructs facility projects, including infrastructure and renewable power systems, that increase energy efficiency, reduce energy costs, and ensure reliable power for public institutions and businesses. #
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/money_62570___article.html/developers_homes.html
FLOOD ZONE ISSUES:
FEMA brings flood zone report to McCloud
Mt Shasta News – 4/9/08
By Earl Bolender, staff writer
McCloud property owners want to know why they were not part of a flood risk assessment study initiated in 2002 and what potential impact the study may have on their insurance rates.
A detailed two year study of the flood hazard areas along Panther and
It wasn't until a town meeting Monday night at
The McCloud study is part of a nationwide multi-year project to modernize 20-plus year old flood maps in an effort to provide property owners with up-to-date, reliable Internet-accessible information about their flood risk on a property-by-property basis.
Modifications to the flood mapping are scheduled to be adopted in March 2009.
Although still a year away, FEMA representatives Kathy Schaefer and Johnathon Bartlett who led the discussion at Monday's meeting, suggested property owners begin preparing for the changes now.
Audience members voiced their opinion that if they had been informed at the beginning, they could have started preparing five years ago.
“If you had told us in 2002 what you were doing, we could have began developing a flood prevention plan then,” audience member Betsy Phair said.
Schaefer, said she does not know the reason why the community was not informed.
“I don't think its fair to you that you weren't even told about it,” said Schaefer who has been with FEMA for two years. “I would certainly have included you in the study. Unfortunately, my predecessor didn't think that way.
“The study sat on a shelf until it recently appeared on my desk,” she said. “That's why we're here tonight.”
Schaefer said with the modifications come the potential for changes in current flood zones, including designation of Special Flood Hazard Areas. A Special Flood Hazard Area is defined as “land in the flood plain within a community that is subject to a one percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year, also known as the 100-year flood plain.”
Providing audience members with NFIP handouts with various rates, Schaefer recommended purchasing insurance prior to the flood maps becoming effective. She said this would qualify property owners in low- to moderate-risk areas for the preferred risk policy.
“If you have a single family one story home with coverage of $250,000 for your home and $100,000 for the contents, your premium would be $317,” said Schaefer, a 15-year veteran engineer who has been employed with FEMA for two years.
She said the low rate would remain in effect for one year even if the property is reclassified to high risk if the preferred risk policy is purchased prior to new map adoption.
“If it is purchased after the proposed flood map becomes effective and you are changed to high risk, your premium for $250,000 coverage on your home will be $1,520,” Schaefer said.
“If you own your own home, insurance is not required,” he said. “If you don't want it, it's your risk. If you pay a mortgage and you have structures located in a Special Flood Hazard Area you are required to purchase and maintain a flood insurance policy for the term of the loan.”
This requirement includes any new construction and additions to existing structures in the hazard areas, which must also meet specific flood control construction guidelines.
Bartlett and Schaefer recommended owners who have title to their homes purchase flood insurance, regardless of whether they are in low, moderate or high risk flood areas.
“You don't have to live in a high flood risk area to be flooding,” Schaefer said. “Nearly 25 percent of all claims paid out by the National Flood Insurance Program are outside the special flood hazard area.”
Enlarged maps were placed on the walls of the gym to give audience members a glimpse of the proposed changes.
When asked how the mapping was determined, Schaefer said it was through computer enhanced models based on historical information of the hydrology and terrain.
“We try to determine how much rain falls and where it goes, the impact of snow melt and what type of soil you have,” she said. “In your case, we used sophisticated models because of the varied terrain with a lot of bumps and ridges.
“Is it accurate, no,” Schaefer said. “Is it reasonable, yes. If you have better information, we definitely want to know about it.”
For Panther Creek, the study began 2,000 feet upstream of
Schaefer said the map adoption process includes a 90 day appeal process that began March 21 and ends June 21.
“Appeals must be based on technical data that is signed and stamped by a registered professional engineer,” she said.
Preliminary maps can be viewed by visiting www.map9-m.com/projects/siskiyou/Siskiyou.shtm.
More information on flood zones and steps that can be taken to prevent flooding can be found at www.floodsmart.gov. #
http://www.mtshastanews.com/articles/2008/04/09/news/04fema_mccloud.txt
WATER AGENCY RE-MAPPING:
Water agency revamps seven division maps
By Alisha Semchuck, staff writer
PALMDALE - Hand-drawn maps served the Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency for years, but now board members, with prompting from some customers, decided to revamp the maps using modern-day technology.
Agency directors asked their consultant from Boyle Engineering Corp. to create modernized versions of AVEK's seven division maps in an electronic format, said Michael Flood, the agency's senior engineer.
This change will enable the agency to reproduce copies of the maps more easily, he pointed out, adding that directors already had received copies of the reworked maps for their review and comments.
Board members are expected to discuss those maps during their public meeting, which starts at 6:30 p.m. today at the agency's office,
"I studied the boundaries of Division 2, which I represent, and I found no discrepancies," said Director Keith Dyas.
"I will reserve my final decision until the meeting," Dyas said, "after I have heard comments and discussion from the other board members and the public."
Director Frank Donato said he plans to request greater detail within the boundaries of each division, for maps that identify street names by letter and by number. Then anyone reading the map can find, for instance,
Once the maps are complete, community residents and town councils will be able to know the boundaries, Donato said. "I've had several people asking me."
"I have asked about the maps," Rosamond resident Randy Scoot said.
"I'd just like to see the maps and know who represents what division - see the boundaries that each director represents."
"Because of the election coming up in November," Scott said, "people have to know who to vote for, or if (any voters) want to run."
"We haven't reviewed the boundaries of the divisions for quite a few years," Donato said. He couldn't recall the last time. Usually that occurs after each
"If there is a significant imbalance in population (numbers) between the divisions, then we will consider additional adjustments to the division boundary lines," Dyas said.
Flood didn't think the division boundaries would change at this time and probably not until after the next census in 2010.
After directors agree on the accuracy of the new maps, Donato said he expects finished versions to be ready within 30 days.
Some community residents had asked the agency to post the division maps on its Web site.
"I have no objection to having it on the Web site if it's feasible and accurate," Dyas said.
"I don't have a problem, one way or another," Donato said. However, he pointed out that the divisions "are huge. If it can be done and be legible, it should be put on the Web site. If it's not legible, there's no reason to put it online."
Overall, Flood said, the agency covers 2,300 square miles. He didn't believe that the size of each division would work well on the Web.
"We have a pretty basic Web site. It's pretty limited."
But once the maps are completed, people can contact the agency and request copies, Flood said.
That satisfied Scott, he said, as long as the maps are "easily accessible to the public." #
http://www.avpress.com/n/08/0408_s12.hts
Coachella Valley Water District honored for its Coachella Canal Lining Project
Desert Sun – 4/9/08
By Denise Goolsby, staff writer
The Coachella Valley Water District was recently honored with the San Diego Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers Project of the Year for its Coachella Canal Lining Project .
The Coachella Canal Lining Project, a parallel, concrete-lined canal nearly 36 miles in length, was constructed in 2004-2006 to replace the two remaining, earthen sections of the original canal, which was completed in the late 1940s.
The entire canal is 123 miles in length and responsible for delivering what historically has been about 300,000 acre-feet of Colorado River water annually to
The lined waterway conserves about 26,000 acre-feet of
The district will be honored at a banquet in mid-May.
In late January, the canal lining was recognized by the Western Council of Construction Consumers for an Outstanding Achievement Award in the Infrastructure.
“We knew this was a great project because it directly contributes to the ability of
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