FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HAMILTON CITY LEVEE PROJECT RECEIVES MAJOR FUNDING BOOST
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Provides Additional $22 million in Current Fiscal Year
HAMILTON CITY, Calif. (January 21, 2021) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) announced Tuesday, January 19 that an additional $22 million is available to the Hamilton City Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Project (Project) in the current fiscal year to support continued levee construction and habitat restoration. This funding infusion will fully fund the remaining work on the Project.
Reclamation District 2140, the non-federal sponsor for the Project, attributes the successful effort to obtain this final funding to a strong, multi-agency project delivery approach. Several governmental and non-governmental organizations, including the Corps, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), and The Nature Conservancy continue to work closely with the Reclamation District to deliver flood protection and ecosystem restoration to the community. As evidenced by another successful construction year, the Corps continues to show strong leadership at all levels of the organization. Additionally, Reclamation District 2140 thanks and commends the strong leadership from Congressman Garamendi, Congressman LaMalfa, and Senator Feinstein. President of the Reclamation District 2140, Lee Ann Grigsby-Puente, stated: “Without the unwavering support and guidance over the years from both Congressmen and the Senator, the Project would not be on a path toward completion and would have halted several years ago.”
In December 2020, the Corps completed a third phase of the levee construction, which now totals 5.5 miles of the 6.8-mile levee. Two additional major activities are required to complete the Project – the remaining 1.3 miles of levee construction and an additional approximately 485 acres of restoration. These activities will be completed over the next few construction seasons and will be followed by continued restoration establishment and monitoring into the future.
The Project, located approximately 10 miles west of Chico, is the first in the nation authorized for construction under the Corps' guidelines to develop multipurpose projects that include both flood risk reduction and ecosystem restoration elements. It consists of (1) construction of 6.8 miles of setback levee to provide reliable flood protection for the community and agricultural areas by expanding the floodway, (2) degradation of the existing inadequate “J” levee, and (3) restoration of approximately 1,400 acres of riparian habitat in the expanded floodway along the Sacramento River. Once constructed, the new levee will provide Hamilton City with protection against a 75-year flood event – a dramatic improvement over the level of protection afforded by the existing “J” levee.
Reclamation District 2140 is partnering with the Corps, DWR, and The Nature Conservancy to deliver the Project. The Corps provides planning, engineering, project management, ecosystem restoration, and construction services for the Project. DWR is funding a majority of the local share of the Project’s cost through a Flood Corridor Program Grant to Reclamation District 2140. The Nature Conservancy, a non-governmental organization, has donated much of the land and provided invaluable consultation for the Project. Reclamation District 2140 is the non-federal sponsor of the Project, and will own, operate, and maintain the levee once completed.