Legislative Priorities
SACRAMENTO FLOOD CONTROL

Since 1986, when an unprecedented series of storms came just hours from overwhelming the city’s flood-control system, no issue has been as important to Matsui as securing flood protection for his hometown of Sacramento, CA. He is a tireless advocate for this desperately needed public safety improvement and is fully committed to meeting the 200-year protection level that federal agencies, engineers, and flood-control experts have called a requirement.

Flood control is so crucial to the district because of the City of Sacramento’s location at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers. Early settlers chose the site because of its proximity to the Sacramento River, an important transportation route, but along with this commercial convenience comes a threat to person and property. With the help of the Federal Government, Sacramento’s residents have invested in numerous flood-control projects. However, as the Army Corps of Engineers has revised the area’s hydrology (water-distribution estimates), it deemed the existing system of protection to be insufficient. When the Federal Government agreed to build the Folsom Dam and Reservoir in 1944 following a major flood in December 1937, it was thought that the Dam would provide all the protection Sacramento would need. Yet, because of serious design flaws in how it could manage water flow during a storm, Folsom Dam barely succeeded in protecting the city during major downpours in 1986 and 1997. Current estimates have shown Sacramento’s flood-risk to be a severe and urgent concern threatening 400,000 residents and more than $37 billion in property.

CURRENT AGENDA-108TH CONGRESS

Folsom Dam Mini-Raise. Matsui is the leading voice in seeking federal approval of and funding for a project to raise the height of Folsom Dam by 7 feet, providing emergency flood storage space for the Sacramento region. The Folsom Mini-Raise will cap a long effort to reconfigure Sacramento’s original flood control system and will provide Sacramento with the ability to protect against a storm 50 percent greater than any in the recorded history of the watershed. In November 2002, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a favorable Chief’s Report showing the project is a sound, safe, and cost effective way to give Sacramento the long-sought additional flood protection it deserves.

On February 25, 2003, Representative Matsui introduced H.R. 892authorizing the Folsom Mini-Raise project for Sacramento in accordance with the plan formulated by the Army Corps of Engineers. The plan has the unified support of all stakeholders who would share its cost including the City, the County, the flood control district, and the State of California. The House bill enjoys the support of several Northern California legislators, and companion legislation in the Senate has the support of both California Senators. In addition to the Mini-Raise, Rep. Matsui’s bill would also provide funds for construction of a permanent bridge to replace the Folsom Dam Road, which was closed in February due to security concerns. Passing this bill is first on Matsui’s legislative agenda.

Links

For more information on Sacramento flood control, please visit the following links:

The Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District