Local Water Projects Clear House Following Garamendi’s Extensive Work

WASHINGTON, DC – The Fiscal Year 2016 Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill that cleared Congress late Thursday night includes a number of local water projects that Garamendi has spent months and years fighting for.

The bill makes substantial investments in local water projects that Congressman Garamendi has been closely working on. These projects include desperately needed levee improvements.

"The Energy and Water Appropriations Bill makes significant investments in a number of local water projects, including the Sacramento River Bank Protection, American River, Yuba River Basin, Hamilton City J-Levee, Suisun Bay Shipping Channel, Lower Cache Creek, and the Port of Stockton. Sites Reservoir’s feasibility study also moves forward in this bill," Congressman Garamendi said. "Clearly, when it comes to water appropriations, bipartisanship is still possible. It took literally hundreds of meetings and phone calls locally and in the Capitol, but long delayed water projects are finally moving forward."

The bill requires the Secretary of Interior to complete the feasibility studies for all CalFed storage projects, with a deadline of November 30, 2016 for the Sites Reservoir feasibility study. Congressman Garamendi, working with Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), introduced a bill earlier this year to accelerate the completion of this study. Sites Reservoir, located in the 3rd Congressional District, is a proposed off-stream reservoir that would store as much as 1.8 million acre feet of water for cities, agriculture, and the environment.

The report language also encourages the Bureau of Reclamation to continue its focus on building fish screens for high-priority agricultural diversions, many of which lie in the 3rd Congressional District.

Water Projects Important to the 3rd District

Investigation Funding

• American River Common Features, Natomas Basin: The Corps will be continuing preconstruction engineering and design of the first construction section which will improve levees that protect the Natomas Basin. FY 2016 funding at $3,500,000, up from $1,500,000 in FY 2015.
• Lower Cache Creek: This money is to continue with the feasibility study to provide flood protection to the City of Woodland. The Corps is currently studying a number of design options for the project and will be identifying a design to move forward with in June/July. FY 2016 funding at $570,000, was at $800,000 in FY 2015.
• Sacramento Bank Protection (General Reevaluation Report): The Corps will be scoping this General Reevaluation Report to focus on improving the Sacramento and Fremont Weirs and expanding the capacity of the Yolo Bypass. FY 2016 funding at $500,000, up from $200,000 in FY 2015.
• Yuba River Ecosystem Restoration: The Corps and nonfederal sponsor will initiate a three year study on improving the fish passage in the Yuba River. FY 2016 funding at $700,000, up from $300,000 in FY 2015.

Construction Funding

• Hamilton City: The J levee project will advance with the construction contract for levees this summer and also initiate restoration this summer. FY 2016 funding at $15,000,000, up from $3,800,000 in FY 2015.
• Yuba River Basin (Ring Levee): The Corps will advance the design of all remaining sections. FY 2015 funding at $7,361,000, up from $5,000,000 in FY 2015.
• Sacramento Bank Protection: The Corps will continue to reduce stream bank erosion along the Sacramento River levees to minimize the threat of flooding. FY 2016 funding at $6,000,000, up from $1,000,000 in FY 2015.

Operations and Maintenance Funding

• Suisun Bay Shipping Channel: The Corps will keep the channel operational using dredging and maintenance measures. FY 2016 funding at $3,250,000, was at $4,900,000 in FY 2015.
• Yuba River Basin: This money will be used by the Corps for dam operations on the Yuba River. FY 2016 funding at $1,450,000, was at $1,438,000 in FY 2015.
• Port of Stockton/San Joaquin River: Funding will be used for dredging and maintenance of the port to ensure it that is remains operational for commerce. FY 2016 funding at $4,442,000, was at $5,152,000 in FY 2015.
• Sacramento River 30 Foot Project: Money will be used to maintain the 30 foot depth of the Sacramento Deep Water Ship Channel, ensuring the passage of large vessels. FY 2016 funding at $1,100,000, was at $1,300,000 in FY 2015.