🚀 go-pugleaf

In <rpenny-ya023580000801970842020001@nntp.ix.netcom.com>
rpenny@ix.netcom.com (Richard Penny) writes: 
>
>
>Media Advisory                            Contact: Charles Casey
>January 7, 1997                               916/442-3155
>
>
>      River group calls for review of existing flood protection system
>
>
>Sacramento - Friends of the River (F.O.R.), California's largest river
>conservation group, today suggested that a reassessment of the Central
>Valley's existing flood control facilities be initiated in light of
the
>damaging 1997 floods.
>
>   "It is clear where and when flood officials have paid close
attention to
>existing structures and operations - the American River flood control
>system, for example - that flood control facilities can work well,"
said
>Betsy Reifsnider, executive director at F.O.R.  "We certainly don't
need to
>straitjacket our rivers or build a series of new dams to fight the
floods
>we've seen.  Indeed, it's ironic that some of the worst flooding has
been
>just downstream from two of the largest dams in the state: Oroville
and Don
>Pedro dams."
>
>   Reifsnider noted that in the Sacramento area the American River
flood
>control system worked well during the recent storms, largely because
of the
>efforts of flood officials and F.O.R. during the past decade.  As a
result
>of intensive analysis, planning, and actual construction, the federal
dam
>at Folsom is now operated much more prudently during the flood season,
>levees have been bolstered and strengthened, and American River levees
in
>particular are targeted for much more work because Congress - prompted
by
>F.O.R. lobbying efforts - approved a $57 million flood control package
for
>the capital city area late last year.
>
>   Despite those forthcoming improvements, there is still more work
that
>can be done along the American River.  Enlarging the river outlet
works and
>lowering the spillways at Folsom Dam would offer much more flexibility
and
>safety during large storm events.  Couple that with raising and
improving
>downstream banks and levees along the American River and Sacramento
will
>enjoy even more flood protection.
>
>   "The recent flooding throughout the Central Valley underscores the
fact
>that we do not need something like an Auburn dam.  A structure on the
North
>Fork of the American River - no matter how big or expensive - would
have
>done nothing for the people and property hit by flooding along the
Feather,
>Bear, Cosumnes, San Joaquin, Mokelumne, Stanislaus or Tuolumne
rivers,"
>said Ron Stork, associate conservation director and flood control
>specialist for F.O.R.  "Let's get serious about evaluating our flood
>control system and stop wasting time on an unnecessary, billion dollar
dam
>that would be located on an earthquake fault."
>
>   Borrowing in part from the 1994 federal task force recommendations
that
>followed the Mississippi floods (a study by the Interagency Floodplain
>Management Review Committee known as the "Galloway Report"), Friends
of the
>River makes the following suggestions for improving public safety
while
>preserving the important features of the state's rivers:
>
>*  Analyze and reassess the entire flood system in the Central Valley;
>*  Consider levee reinforcement, upgrades and future setbacks in order
to       
>
>   improve waterway conveyance reliability and efficiency; 
>*  Improve flood control operations at existing dams;
>*  Make better land use and floodplain management decisions so people
can
>safely 
>   build, or simply avoid building, in at-risk areas;
>*  Encourage more hazard mitigation in flood prone areas, including
such things 
>   as buyouts, floodproofing buildings by elevating them, flood
warning system 
>   improvements, and increased flood hazard awareness programs;
>*  Encourage flood insurance for those at risk.
>
>   "These are common sense, cost-effective solutions for much greater
>public safety, while at the same time preserving and restoring our
river
>systems," said Stork.  "We don't need new dams as much as we need to
>upgrade and improve the aging infrastructure that's already in place. 
The
>best and most environmentally responsible investment we can make is in
the
>existing flood control system.  Obviously, there's plenty of room for
>improvement." he added.
>
>   Stork, who last year led the environmental efforts to secure flood
>protection improve- ments for Sacramento without the Auburn dam,
emphasized
>that California should make sure the existing systems are more
reliable,
>safe and effective.  He noted that the devastating levee breaks appear
to
>be a result of inattention, lack of investment, or woefully inadequate
room
>for rivers to flow.
>
>   Friends of the River is nearly 25 years old.  Based in Sacramento,
>F.O.R. is a membership organization that works on a variety of
>river-related issues throughout the state.  For more information on
flood
>control or other river issues, contact Charles Casey: (916) 442-3155.


Lets face it, no one saw this one coming. You chose to live in the
cenral valley, below a levy, its only a matter of time... Mother nature
is going to win sooner or later. Only due to the good nature of those
in the central valley, looting and a feeding frenzy will not take
place. God speed to those trying to bring life back together.          
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