“The winter rains continue to pound central and northern California. There is localized flooding in dozens of communities, and all signs indicate that our communities will suffer more damage.

While this is extremely serious, it pales in comparison with what could happen if there is a major breach in the State’s levee system. A breach would flood thousands of acres, destroy hundreds of homes and businesses, and cause fatalities.

The lesson of Katrina has to be that we recognize potential failures before they happen and move aggressively to remedy them.

So what’s needed now is a major program to rebuild and restore the levees and to strengthen the State’s flood control systems.

This is going to be one of my highest priorities in the coming year, and I will work with Senator Boxer, who is a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, to develop this program. We will ask the President for significant levee funding in his FY07 budget. We will develop federal legislation to authorize projects and seek funding in the appropriations process. And we will work with the Governor’s office and the State legislature to develop a federal-state partnership.

The urgency to restore California’s levee system has never been so great as it is now.”

Following is a list of projects and programs that the Army Corps of Engineers has identified as top priorities for protecting California from catastrophic flooding:

South Sacramento Streams:   Would initiate second phase of construction that includes 13 miles of levee improvements to provide the City of Sacramento with 100-year flood protection.

Sacramento River Bank Protection:   Would repair erosion sites in the Pocket area of Sacramento.

American River, Common Features:  Would stabilize and raise levees and initiate installation of relief wells at Pioneer Reservoir.

American River Folsom Modifications and Folsom Dam Raise:   Will raise the Dam seven feet, decreasing the area that lacks 100-year flood protection. 400,000 residents would be protected by these improvements. 

CalFed Levees:   Implement levee stability reconstruction projects throughout the Delta, based on a CALFED study identifying the areas with the greatest need.

Delta Risk Management Strategy:   Complete a 3-year study to recommend a long-term solution for stabilizing the Delta.

Levee Systems Evaluation for the Sacramento Valley:  Many of these Federal levees will be “decertified” by FEMA for mapping purposes if they are not restored by the Corps within the next two years.

Natomas Reimbursement:   Will provide authorized reimbursement to the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency for construction at the Natomas Basin.  These funds will be applied to ongoing flood control projects.

Mid-Valley Area Levee Reconstruction Project:  Will reconstruct 18 miles of deficient levees throughout the Sacramento Valley.  Floods in 1995 and 1997 caused considerable seepage and boils.

Yuba River Basin Project:   The Yuba River Basin Project will ultimately strengthen nearly 40 miles of levees along the Yuba, Bear and Feather rivers.  The area has experienced 7 major floods in the last 50 years, including in 1997.  These projects will protect over 75,000 people in five communities.

Lower Cache Creek, Woodland Project:   Continue construction of a project to ensure that the Yolo Bypass, which carries Sacramento River flood water, does not become obstructed by sediment.

Middle Creek Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Project:   Will reconnect the floodplain of Middle Creek to Clear Lake to reduce potential flood damage.

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