Central Valley Flood Protection Board

The Central Valley Flood Protection Board (Board) establishes, maintains, and enforces standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of the flood control system to protect life, property, and habitat in California’s Central Valley. The Board coordinates State entities, local flood risk control agencies and the federal government to minimize damages from floods in California’s Central Valley and is the non-federal sponsor for federal flood control projects in the State Plan of Flood Control. The Board serves as a public forum for flood risk reduction policy in the Central Valley and is responsible for adopting updates to the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan every five years.


 

2023 PUBLIC HOURS AND MEETING SCHEDULE

In accordance with the Governor’s order, the Board will continue to host hybrid meetings and workshops through 2023.  Locations and access information for future meetings will be posted on our homepage and updated as needed.

For public drop off of physical documents, including applications and fees, we can be contacted by phone or email as noted below to schedule a drop off.

  • With our new hybrid teleworking environment, most staff are only at our office location on Tuesdays each week. Administrative staff are available at the front desk Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 am – 3:00 pm. Appointments are required to meet with staff or receive in-person assistance at the front desk.  If you are currently working with a staff member on an item, please continue to contact that staff member.  If you need general information, please contact the general mailbox at Questions@CVFlood.ca.gov.

  • We will be prioritizing permits based upon health and safety factors, including the availability of staff and partners, and application processing times may be extended during this period.  Please bear with us as we work through this new system.

  • Past recordings of Board meetings and workshops can be found on the CVFPB YouTube Channel

Jane Dolan
Board President

 

NEWS & HIGHLIGHTS

Light at the End of the Tunnel

From Hakai Magazine – Millions of killer culverts lurk beneath North American roadways, strangling populations of migratory fish. Now with a nationwide project, the United States is trying to fix them. Roads have impeded fish since well before the proliferation of automobiles. In 1893, a log drifted down a tributary of British Columbia’s Fraser River and wedged itself in a wagon-road culvert, preventing sockeye salmon from migrating. So many fish crowded against the jammed pipe that they writhed onto the road, obliging an inspector to “engage men and teams to cart the salmon in order to keep the road clear for traffic,” per one reporter. In 1932, engineers in Arlington Heights, Illinois, found a pair of pickerel caught in culverts, and reportedly “enjoyed a good fish dinner.” But the real problem wasn’t the few fish caught in culverts—it was the millions who couldn’t swim through them. (more)

What Uses Most of California’s Water Supply?

From FOX 5 News – Even following a water year like 2023 and historic flooding events in recent months, California continues to see the need to conserve water. A water year, or a “wet year,” according to the United States Geological Survey, is defined as a 12-month period in which precipitation levels are measured. Generally, it takes place between October 1 and September 30 in the northern hemisphere. According to the California Department of Water Resources, while California gets 75% of its rain and snow from the watersheds in the northern portion of the state, 80% of water demand comes from the southern two-thirds of the state. (more)

How Business and Government Might Solve the Freshwater Crisis—Together

From the PPIC – Conversation with Stanford law and environmental social sciences professor Barton “Buzz” Thompson. The public sector is inherently conservative, and it should be when it comes to freshwater. If your iPhone malfunctions, it’s an inconvenience. If the system that supplies water to San Francisco malfunctions, that could be a public health crisis. But in many cases, it’s too conservative. Governmental agencies just don’t have the same incentive to embrace new, creative ideas as the private sector. The public sector is also highly fragmented. Many small utilities don’t have funds to replace current infrastructure, and frequently they have no R&D program, which is where you’d typically interact with the private sector. They can’t invest in new technologies. That makes it hard to take advantage of what the private sector has to offer. (more)

More News & Highlights...

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Congratulations

Central Valley Flood Protection Board (CVFPB) and Department of Water Resources (DWR) Receive Floodplain Management Association’s (FMA) Integrated Flood Management Award

This award is given to individuals or project teams who have prepared and/or implemented a locally-approved, state-approved, or federally-approved multi-objective flood management plan. Candidate projects should demonstrate innovative advancements in water management as well as collaborative partnerships with community groups and the general public. Project outcomes should benefit many stakeholder interests such as environmental, flood control, recreational, and emergency planning and responsiveness.

“The Central Valley Flood Protection Board and DWR are proud to receive the Floodplain Management Association’s Integrated Flood Management Award for the 2022 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan (CVFPP) Update.” The CVFPP Update was recognized for a robust, multi-year communication and engagement process involving state, federal, Tribal, regional, and local partners. DWR, with CVFPB input, incorporated the newest information, updated science, and innovative tools to develop priorities for improving flood risk management in the Central Valley. CVFPB officially approved the Update on December 16, 2022. Learn more about the CVFPP here. Congratulations to both agencies!