Pajaro River Levee Project reaches milestone in efforts to prevent flooding
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION) Santa Cruz County and Zone 7 Flood Control and Water Conservation District announced that it reached a milestone in efforts to prevent flooding in the Pajaro Valley at a meeting Friday.
The county said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finished an analysis of the project that showed a positive cost-benefit ratio, which will help with funding and breaking ground eventually. The analysis frees up state funding for the project and moves the proposal from the planning to the design phase.
"This marks the most significant step in over 50 years toward the levee project becoming a reality. The most vulnerable populations in both counties rely on this levee and we won't stop fighting until this project is fully built,” Supervisor Zach Friend said.
“After decades of engaging the Corps of Engineers and trying to meet their requirements, I want to congratulate the county for getting to this significant step in seeing the Pajaro River flood control project become reality,” Assemblymember Mark Stone said. “The county has been persistent, flexible and dogged in their advocacy and now benefits from a real light at the end of the tunnel.”
The goal of the Pajaro River Levee Project is to prevent flooding by rebuilding levees or adding new setback levees or floodwalls. That would contain larger flood flows in the Pajaro River channel. It would also decrease maintenance requirements, improve habitats for endangered species, increase groundwater recharge and help homeowners who pay a flood insurance premium because of the existing risk, according to the county.
