Sacramento:  We Have a Problem

Family Water Alliance is dedicated to educating the public about the need to preserve and maintain our flood control system to assure the health and welfare of the citizens and the agriculture that lives within this floodplain. A recent review of excerpts from a report from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), entitled, "Field Reconnaissance Report of Bank Erosion Sites, Sacramento River Flood Control Levees and Tributaries, July 2002," points to the potential for numerous failures of this system. [Excerpts were all that has been initially provided, the entire document is being requested pursuant to the Freedom of Information of Act by FWA].

The report illustrates that there are 177 erosion sites within the system. These sites are classified as "critical, potentially critical, monitor closely, and maintenance site." A "critical site" is defined as "sites where further erosion may result in a bank failure, which encroaches near or into the levee crown and is recommended as the highest priority for repair." The number of sites deemed critical or potentially critical "has increased from 17 to 19 and only one site is under repair at this time." These 19 sites have been designated "the most critical of all inventoried sites and are in need of attention in order to meet minimum safety factor requirements from an erosion and slope stability standpoint." The USACE report goes on to acknowledge that they "fully realize the environmental implications of placing additional stone protection on the Sacramento River, and this leaves only emergency action for the last line of defense." Basically, these excerpts give one the distinct feeling that safety and protection of agriculture has taken a backseat to environmental regulation.

The conclusions indicate that "the overall condition of most sites continue to worsen in a slow steady fashion . . . and the threat to the levees is continuing . . ." The report also states that other than some maintenance activities emergency work following high runoff years, "only one bank protection site has been contracted for repair." The report further acknowledges that reliance on emergency authority as a last line of defense will become more difficult as the list of sites continues to grow, and admits that it is very likely that severe damage will occur to at least some of the potentially critical and critical erosion sites when the next high flow period occurs.

The report recommends that with bank protection at a near standstill, a renewed emphasis should be placed on performing maintenance activities. Historically, the river was dredged, weirs were kept clear, rock placed on weak points on the levee, and large woody debris (snags) were removed to maintain the carrying capacity of our flood control system. Due to environmental regulation and the high cost of mitigation, these routine maintenance activities have been all but abandoned. Family Water Alliance continues to advocate for a more responsible and prudent course of action to assure the people and farms of the Sacramento Valley are protected.  #