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A sensible new approach for flood control.

Especially in a state where higher ground is so readily available I think that it is immoral to locate homes and businesses on flood-prone lands - places that are likely to flood sooner or later.

California's Governor Schwarzenegger signed two flood-protection bills - sacbee 14oct2007. "SB 276 by Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, will allow the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency to improve levees and Folsom Dam to provide 200-year flood protection. AB 930 by (Assemblyman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento) enables SAFCA to purchase easements outside its boundaries in the Sacramento Valley, an effort to prevent farmland from being developed."

Waters may rise, but so will region's readiness - sacbee 29sept2007. AB 930 will allow "SAFCA to acquire easements from willing landowners in the Sacramento Valley. The agency's goal is to help upstream farmers keep their land undeveloped. Farms and wetlands act like a sponge for potential flood waters." SB 276 will "allow SAFCA to speed up work on Folsom Dam and levee upgrades to bring Sacramento to 200-year flood protection."

Flood-prone lands along our rivers should be used for farming, water-based transportation, recreation, wildlife habitat, river channels and flood corridors. I hope that this legislation and California's other new flood protection laws will redirect most of our future home and business developments away from the floodplain and onto higher ground that is less susceptible to flooding.

Ten more years of extreme flood risk for Sacramento CA.

I am glad to see that flood control in California is finally moving in the right direction. Nevertheless, Sacramento CA will remain highly vulnerable to flooding for ten more years while the Folsom Dam and levee upgrades are under construction.

More about: Flood Protection Sacramento CA and California River Conservation.
Sacramento CA Flood Control, Prevention, Protection and Safety Directory.

Tags: flooding, dam, levee, water, floodplain, river conservation, river.

Labels: conservation