District 10 levees included in state plan [Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.]

Nov. 11--Levees that protect vast agricultural operations in District 10 north of Marysville would receive improvements in a draft state regional flood management plan.

But to improve the levees to a point where they could withstand a 100-year flood is going to take a lot of funding and patience, officials said.

More than 50 people attended a town hall meeting at the Yuba County Board of Supervisors chambers on Thursday evening to address levee protection in District 10-Hallwood. The session was prompted by landowner concerns about the need to upgrade levees to protect farm-related businesses worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

"All of us here know that tremendous amounts of money have been spent around the rest of the county to upgrade levees, and that's great," said Tom Schultz, chairman of Reclamation District 10, which maintains the area's levees. "I am hoping that from this meeting we can get some help."

The issue came to the forefront last month when former Yuba County Supervisor Don Schrader approached the Board of Supervisors about the need to protect District 10 operations. He said the 28 miles of District 10 levee need similar attention to those around the rest of the county.

A draft of the Feather River Regional Flood Management Plan being developed by the state includes some District 10 levee work, Ric Reinhardt of MBK Engineers told the gathering. MBK has been involved in past Yuba County levee projects.

Included in the draft plan is $175 million for evaluation, design and construction of levee improvements to meet "geometry and stability standards." It also includes $1.6 million for seepage-related improvements, $1 million for erosion protection at specific sites, $950,000 for improved rodent control, $930,000 for levee road improvements and $740,000 for drainage upgrades.

But to strengthen levees to meet 100-year standards would take from $117 million to $351 million depending on the work to be done, Reinhardt said.

"There are difficult challenges," Yuba County Water Agency general manager Curt Aikens told the gathering. "And nothing moves quickly."

Aikens explained that urban areas have gotten the first priority for levee repairs, but now there has to be a determination whether rural levees qualify for similar funding.

"There are a whole lot of unknowns we have to work on," he said.

The session also featured presentations on National Flood Insurance Program rate increases, lobbying efforts to reduce rates and the effects of rate maps on rural areas.

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Contact reporter Eric Vodden at 749-4769.

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