Immediate repairs required on the San Lorenzo River Levee after illegal planting and rock movement

SANTA, CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- The City of Santa Cruz said that a significant amount of rock that provides levee armoring and flood protection had been removed and unpermitted planting had been installed on the east bank of the San Lorenzo River Levee.

Santa Cruz Public Works says city staff is taking immediate action to fix the damages. The City of Santa Cruz is in charge of flood control for the San Lorenzo River Levee.

According to Public Works, over the past few days, three cubic yards of "rip-rap were dug out of the levee’s east bank and placed at the levee crest along with unpermitted citrus tree plantings and homemade signs with unauthorized use of the City logo." Rip-rap is usually found along the inboard side of the river levee and provides protection from erosion during high-flow events.

Public Works states that the vandalism threatens the integrity of the flood control structure and jeopardizes the City's efforts in attaining FEMA certification for the levee system.

New plantings are currently not allowed along the river levee but there are plans to explore permit projects that promote native habitat restoration along the San Lorenzo River. Information on community meetings regarding this can be found, here.