What work is being done to protect Sacramento from flooding?
SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento region has seen devastating flooding in years past, and each winter, there's a concern another disaster could hit.
Now, with another big storm on the way this week, we're getting answers on just what work is being done to help protect the area when river levels rise.
The Sacramento region has some of the highest flood risk in the nation.
"The water that falls either as rain or snow can come down the watershed very rapidly," said Tim Kerr, general manager of the American River Flood Control District.
Sacramento County last saw severe flooding in 2017, and since then, several multi-million dollar projects have been launched in an effort to increase flood protection.
"The projects will create a significantly reduced risk for the Greater Sacramento area," said David Pesavento of the California Department of Water Resources.
Improvements include levee strengthening and an auxiliary spillway at Folsom Dam that can be activated when lake levels are high.
"They can get a head start on those floods and start releasing the water sooner in a flood event," Kerr said.
Work is also underway to expand the Yolo Bypass and the Sacramento Weir by widening it by an additional 1,500 feet. The weir gates are opened during high river runoff to divert water and keep downtown Sacramento from reaching flood stage.
So how does widening the weir help reduce flooding risk?
"All these projects together will lower the water surface elevation in the main portion of the Sacramento River by almost a foot," Pesavento said.
Flood protection has also been increased on neighborhood waterways, including one project to fix levee damage on Arcade Creek.
"Erosion had gotten all the way to the levee and we just wanted to halt that progress," Kerr said.
Now, it's been smoothed out and protected with 3,000 tons of rock.
Dozens of Sacramento County homeowners have also taken advantage of a FEMA-funded program to raise homes in flood-prone areas. One Walnut Grove house is now 12 feet higher off the ground.
"It helps because it pulls the home out of potential flooding danger," said Matt Robinson of Sacramento County Water Resources. "It also will help reduce a homeowner's need for flood insurance."
Each flood control project is an effort to keep people safe when the next big storm hits.
"We really, really don't want people to be displaced from their homes due to large flood events," Kerr said.
Sacramento County said there is still money from FEMA available to raise even more homes that could be impacted by flooding.
