Californias Central Valley Flood System Improvement Framework

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Californias Central ValleyFlood System
Improvement Framework

• California Levees Roundtable
• March 27, 2009

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Agenda

• Origins of the Roundtable
• Central Valley Flood System Improvement Framework
• Short Term Plan
• Long Term Approach
• Outstanding Issues Ahead
• Discussion

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Origins of the CA Levees Roundtable
Corps Draft White Paper
July Levee Conference
August Vegetation Symposium
CA Levees Roundtable
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Why Was the Roundtable Established?

• Recognition of high risk to public safety due to
  levee erosion, encroachments, seepage, channel
  capacity vegetation management
• Draft Corps White Paper on the Treatment of
  Vegetation Within Local Flood Damage Reduction
  Systems
• Issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers in April
  2007
• Triggered by devastation of New Orleans by
  Hurricane Katrina in 2005
• Enforcement of existing levee maintenance
  standard
• National standard poses major challenges for the
  Central Valley Flood Management System
• NEEDED COLLABORATIVE SOLUTION

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California Levees Roundtable Goals

• Establish a dialog among the leadership of levee
  maintaining agencies and resources agencies
  regarding maintenance on Californias Central
  Valley levees.
• Develop collaborative relationships among the
  stakeholders to work toward policy solutions
  regarding maintenance of Californias Central
  Valley levees.
• Achieve consensus on broad policy guidance on
  California levee vegetation standards that
  protect public safety and critical habitat.
• Gain agreement on a process and next steps toward
  establishing and implementing sustainable
  California levee maintenance standards, while
  conserving or enhancing existing habitat for fish
  and wildlife species.

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Roundtable Agreements

• Public safety is the top priority
• Vegetation management is only one of many issues
  that threaten levee integrity
• Draft a phased system-wide plan to address
  highest risks to levee stability and public
  safety first (the Framework)
• Includes short- and long-term elements
• Levee maintaining agencies should defer any
  substantial vegetation removal along levees while
  the plan is being developed
• Any vegetation removal to comply with applicable
  State and Federal laws
• There is an urgent need to reduce risk throughout
  the Central Valley by applying a system-wide
  remedy to levee threats

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The Framework

• Short-term Framework for flood system
  improvements that are already underway or will be
  initiated before a comprehensive plan (CVFPP) is
  ready in 2012
• Geographic scope of Framework same as CVFPP
• Activities outlined in the Framework are focused
  on addressing five threats to improve public
  safety
• Channel Capacity
• Seepage
• Erosion
• Encroachments
• Vegetation
• No single threat given priority in the short-term

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Important Elements of the Short-term Framework

• Inspections
• Enforcements
• Maintenance
• Early Implementation Projects
• Emergency Response
• Public Outreach
• Data Collection
• Project Planning

• Feasibility Studies
• Ongoing Flood Protection Projects
• Research
• Environmental Considerations
• Coordination
• Issues to Resolve
• Implementation Roles

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Interim Levee Vegetation Inspection Criteria

• Criteria apply on
• Entire landside slope plus a 10-feet wide
  easement beyond the landside toe.
• Top 20 feet (slope length) of waterside levee
  slope.
• Trees trimmed to five feet above the ground (12
  foot clearance above the crown road) and thinned
  enough for visibility and access
• Brush, weeds, or other such vegetation over 12
  inches high blocking visibility should be
  trimmed, thinned, mowed, burned, dragged, or
  otherwise removed in an allowed manner.

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Interim Levee Vegetation Inspection Criteria
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Interim Levee Vegetation Inspection Criteria
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Rated Items Grass/BrushUnacceptable
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Rated Items Grass/BrushMinimally Acceptable
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Rated Items Grass/BrushAcceptable
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Rated Items TreesUnacceptable
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Rated Items TreesMinimally Acceptable
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Rated Items TreesAcceptable
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LMA Maintenance Rating 2007/2008 Comparison
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Maintenance Deficiencies Percentage of System
Levee Miles
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Maintenance Deficiencies Percentage of System
Levee Miles
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Important Milestones of Framework

• LMAs to maintain levee vegetation according to
  the DWRs Interim Levee Inspection Criteria for
  Vegetation
• Levees in the Central Valley to be in compliance
  with the interim vegetation requirements by
  November 1, 2010
• Report by LMAs of compliance with interim
  vegetation standards by November 1, 2009

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Much Has Already Been Accomplished

• Significant progress made in 2008!
• Implementation of Interim Inspection Criteria
• System wide investigations proceeding
• Portions of the system meet Corps standards
• Agreement to measure progress toward remaining
  Framework goals annually
• Corps and DWR
• Flood System to remain active in PL 84-99
• Eligibility reviewed annually
• Eligibility reconsidered in 2012
• Corps HQ letter, January 9, 2009
• Sets requirements for extension of PL84-99
  eligibility

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Long-term Approach

• Conserve and enhance riparian habitat on the
  waterside of levees
• Aggressively pursue compliance with Corps levee
  standards including vegetation using
• Improved maintenance inspections
• Phased vegetation management practices
• Regional variances
• Engineered alternatives

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Long-Term Approach (continued)

• Fully integrate the short-term activities with
  California FloodSAFE initiative
• System-wide Central Valley Flood Protection Plan
  (CVFPP)
• Development underway with implementation
  scheduled to begin in 2012
• Develop Multi Species and Floodplain Conservation
  Strategy
• Conduct research on effects of vegetation and
  vegetation management on levee integrity/performan
  ce

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Continued Collaboration and Next Steps

• Roundtable participants are committed to broad
  based stakeholder collaboration
• Many specifics of the Framework will be resolved
  during the next four years as implementation
  progresses
• Levee integrity concerns will be addressed
  collaboratively by federal, State, and local
  agencies during the development and
  implementation of the Central Valley Flood
  Protection Plan and the California FloodSAFE
  initiative

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Outstanding Issues Ahead

• Define standardized maintenance processes and
  responsibilities of LMAs
• Address authorized and unauthorized encroachments
• Processes for identification and enforcement
• Develop stable funding mechanisms at federal,
  state and local levels
• Assist LMAs achieve stable and sustainable
  funding
• Work with FEMA on levee certification issues
• Complete research initiatives

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Outstanding Issues Ahead (continued)

• Identify applicable environmental law
  requirements relating to short and long-term
  actions
• Develop CA vision addressing environmental
  protection and public safety concurrently
• Define opportunities for LMAs to cost effectively
  mitigate impacts of levee maintenance
• Develop programmatic approaches for environmental
  compliance
• Define ESA consultation or permitting alternatives

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For More Information

• Framework available at
• http//www.cvfpb.ca.gov/
• Participant Agencies Contact Persons
• CORPS Paige Caldwell [phone]
• FWS Michael Hoover [phone]
• NMFS Howard Brown [phone]
• FEMA Kathleen Schaefer [phone]
• DWR Gary Hester [phone]
• CVFPB Jay Punia [phone]
• DFG Scott Flint [phone]
• SAFCA Peter Buck [phone]
• RD 2068 Mike Hardesty [phone]

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Staff Recommendation

• Staff recommends that the Board approve
  Californias Central Valley Flood System
  Improvement Framework developed by the
  California Levees Roundtable.
• Staff recommends that the Board direct its
  Executive Officer in collaboration with the
  Department of Water Resources to submit the
  Framework Document on behalf of the State, to the
  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers demonstrating, the
  many ongoing and planned system-wide improvements
  and seek temporary extension of PL 84-99
  eligibility based on the U.S Army Corps of
  Engineers Director of Civil Works January 9,
  2009 memorandum.

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• Questions?