Investing in Sacramento Flood Control

The city of Sacramento, situated at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers, faces a constant threat of flooding.  It is critical that there is a continued investment in efforts to minimize Sacramento's risk of flooding. Ensuring Sacramento has the necessary level of flood protection is Congresswoman Matsui's highest priority.  She works closely with Sacramento's flood control partners - the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, CA Department of Water Resources, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation - to move the city's flood protection work forward.

Folsom Dam Spillway -- Joint Federal Project 

On January 11, 2008 ground was broken on the Folsom Dam Joint Federal Project (JFP).  This project includes the construction of a new auxiliary spillway, adjacent to the current dam.  When completed, much of Sacramento will have over 200-year flood protection. The JFP will also address critical needed dam safety work.  Congresswoman Matsui worked with her congressional colleagues to have the Folsom Dam JFP authorized in the Water Resources and Development Act of 2007.  The JFP will be completed in 2015 at a total cost of $1.3 billion.

Levee Improvements

After many years of levee improvements most of Sacramento has 100 year flood protection, but much work is still to be done and Congresswoman Matsui is working hard to make sure ongoing levee work in Natomas, South Sacramento and other areas is completed in the fastest time possible.  For fiscal year 2008, she secured $62.8 million in federal funds will be designated to improve the levees on the Sacramento and American Rivers. Of that, the South Sacramento Streams will receive $10.3 million, the Sacramento Bank will receive $21.5 million, and the American River Watershed will receive $31 million to make improvements..The Natomas Levee Improvement Project is scheduled to meet 100 year protection in 2010 and 200 year protection in 2012.

Watershed Approach

The trail of destruction left by Hurricane Katrina demonstrated the importance of investing in flood protection.  This includes examining, maintaining and strengthening our levee and dam system.  It also means looking beyond Sacramento's levee system to take a wider, watershed approach to managing high water events and finding ways to reduce the risk of flooding to begin with. Hurricane Katrina also told us that tougher standards are needed to ensure our levees are strong enough to meet the toughest storms.

With the major floods of 1986 and 1997, Sacramento experienced first hand two close calls that remind us that disaster is all too close.  The cost to minimize the risk of flooding is high, but the cost of doing nothing is much higher.  Congresswoman Matsui is committed to securing federal funds each year to improve the levees that protect Sacramento.

Flood Insurance

With thousands of residents living behind levees it is important for all of those that live in the flood plain to have flood insurance.  In 2007, Congresswoman Matsui authorized and won passage of three amendments to the Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2007.  Matsui's amendments will increase the awareness of the National Flood Insurance Program, study ways to increase low income homeowners' ability to afford flood insurance and allow FEMA to use state of the art weather forecast technology when developing flood maps.

Congresswoman Matsui Speaks on the Water Resources Development Act (Click Video to Play)