Your Cal Fire, Habitat for Humanity daily help support local restaurants briefing Yuba Water approves $1.25 million for community projects
Directors with the Yuba Water
Agency approved more than $1.25 million in grants and a low-interest loan for various projects around the community that address flood risk reduction, water infrastructure, water quality improvements, fish habitat and emergency water rescue equipment.
“As we all grapple with the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on our economy, and now wildfires as well, now more than ever we must work to improve community resilience where we can,” said Randy Fletcher, board chairman, in a press release. “The board’s actions today advance critical work to reduce flood risk, improve water quality and infrastructure, habitat, and to support our first responders here in Yuba County.”
The largest grant, worth $500,000, was approved to help the Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority strengthen the Yuba River North Training Wall, which reduces flood risk for the rural community of Hallwood. The project will bring a 100-year flood protection
Through a coordinated effort with Habitat for Humanity, Cal Fire generated more than $28,000 in revenue for local restaurants to feed their firefighters.
After setting up a base camp at the Yuba-sutter Fairgrounds, Cal Fire Captain Devon Ellsworth was looking for a way to feed the firefighters in the area battling the Northern Complex Fire and reached out to fairgrounds CEO Dave Dillabo for assistance.
Dillabo referred Ellsworth to John Nicoletti, deputy director of Habitat for Humanity Yuba-sutter, who jumped into action.
“After establishing numbers, budget and delivery details,
level to the site and will prevent the area from being mapped into a Federal Emergency Management Agency flood zone, which would increase flood insurance costs and restrict building in the area. The project is expected to be completed by 2021.
An additional $90,080 in grant funding was also approved to help plant riparian habitat on the Yuba River as part of the Hallwood Side Channel and Floodplain Restoration project – the final step of the first phase of a project that creates approximately 89 acres of habitat for Chinook salmon, steelhead trout
and other native fish.
The project will see the removal of a total of 1.2 million cubic yards of sediment from a midchannel training wall in the lower Yuba River where improved habitat features will be developed.
A $140,000 grant was approved for HDR,
Inc. and the city of Marysville to develop a plan to improve and manage water quality and recreational fisheries at Ellis Lake. Yuba Water has worked with the city since January on addressing the lake’s issues and will continue to support water quality monitoring and refinement of the plan through the end of the year, while Marysville will oversee long-term
implementation of the plan and management of the lake. Implementation of the plan could begin by next summer.
“Ellis Lake has long been a point of pride for the city of Marysville, providing beautiful views and recreational fishing opportunities for our residents and visitors,” said Craig Platt, director of Public Works for the city, in a press release. “This latest grant brings us closer to improving conditions at the lake, restoring it for the benefit of the entire community.”
The Olivehurst Public Utility District will benefit from a $250,000 loan and $250,000 grant to complete California Environmental Quality
Act work related to a project that would see expansion of its water and wastewater infrastructure into southern Yuba County.
An additional $16,100 grant will pay for a feasibility study to determine the cost and financing options for connecting residential water and septic systems in Arboga to OPUD’S systems.
Lastly, a $10,000 grant was approved for the Yuba County Sheriff ’s Office to purchase specialized rescue equipment, including underwater search and rescue gear and rescue climbing rappelling equipment.