CVFP Board adopts updated plan
SACRAMENTO — The Central Valley Flood Protection Board on Friday adopted the 2017 update to the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan. Developed in partnership with the Department of Water Resources (DWR), the update incorporates the latest information and science to improve flood risk management throughout California’s Central Valley, which includes the Sacramento and San Joaquin River basins. The plan focuses largely on making statewide system recommendations to improve public safety, ecosystem conditions, and economic sustainability.
SACRAMENTO — The Central Valley Flood Protection Board on Friday adopted the 2017 update to the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan. Developed in partnership with the Department of Water Resources (DWR), the update incorporates the latest information and science to improve flood risk management throughout California’s Central Valley, which includes the Sacramento and San Joaquin River basins. The plan focuses largely on making statewide system recommendations to improve public safety, ecosystem conditions, and economic sustainability.
The 2017 CVFPP emphasizes the importance of investing in longterm, multi-benefit actions to improve flood risk management while improving ecosystem functions, modernizing operations and maintenance practices and strengthening institutional support for flood management. It identifies the need to invest $17 billion — $21 billion in the Central Valley flood system over the next 30 years.
“California cannot afford to ignore our aging flood management systems. While we have made significant investments over the years, we need to push the limits to ensure a resilient and sustainable flood system,” said DWR Director Grant Davis. “This comprehensive plan will have a lasting impact on the entire state and is a result of a strong partnership between state agencies and the stakeholder community.”
Development of the 2017 update to the CVFPP was a cooperative effort involving engineers, scientific and planning experts, counterparts in state, local and federal agencies and a robust network of stakeholders that includes residents, businesses owners, and government officials. The next update to the plan will occur in 2022.
Senate Bill 5, The Central Valley Flood Protection Act of 2008, requires DWR and the Board to update the CVFPP every five years to address new information about flood management needs, advancements in the best available science and new policy considerations.
Under DWR’S leadership, California has invested billions of dollars in voter-approved bonds in flood management and programs to plan and prepare for the impacts of extreme weather driven by climate change. Since 2007, DWR has spent or committed $4.4 billion, leveraged by local and federal resources, to fund over 100 projects under the Local Levee Assistance Program, the Yuba-feather Flood Protection Program, the Flood Corridor Program and Flood Control Subvention Programs.
Over 250 miles of levees have been evaluated and improved, reducing flood risk for more than half a million Californians. Floodplains have been expanded in key areas to accommodate flood waters, and flood protection has been enhanced along major interstates and hundreds of miles of the Sacramento-san Joaquin River Delta.
An electronic version of the 2017 update to the CVFPP is available at http://water.ca.gov.