Napolitano Convenes Hearing on California Levee and Flood Control Risks

(Washington D.C.)- Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano (D-Norwalk), the ranking member of the House Water and Power Subcommittee, urged Congress today to make essential California flood protection a priority as she invited expert witnesses to testify before the committee about the risk of catastrophic flooding in the Delta Levees.

The California Delta Bay Levees in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley ensure flood protection and a reliable source of drinking water for more than 22 million Californians. Southern California receives one-third of its reliable drinking water from the Bay Delta. A major earthquake near the Delta or a severe break in Delta levees would have devastating results. A levee collapse could cause significant flooding by inundating the Delta area with saltwater which would threaten the drinking water supply for Southern California communities.

In her remarks to the subcommittee, Napolitano reiterated how fragile the levees are and how they have been neglected at many levels of government.

“As I look at testimony and reports about the levees, it’s frightening to learn that a major earthquake could virtually wipe out the Delta as we know it, and it would take years to recover from that,” said Napolitano. “We depend on one-third of our water supply from them.”

The Secretary for California Resources, Mike Chrisman, told the panel today that Sacramento has the lowest flood protection of any urban area in the nation. He estimated $5 billion in damage if the Delta levees fail and much more for clean up and recovery. He said hundreds of lives could be lost.

Napolitano added that more attention should have been paid to the condition of the levee system when the CALFED water management program was authorized. 

“Everybody was more focused on new water projects and the many other important CALFED elements. I hope it’s not too late now to turn our attention to the levee system and to fully understand what we need collaboratively to do to protect our water supplies,” added Napolitano.

Earlier this month, Napolitano joined 25 members of the California Congressional Delegation in writing a letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water seeking federal funding for Fiscal Year 2006 to help secure the Delta Levees. The delegation has requested an additional $70.5 million to secure the levees based on Army Corps of Engineer recommendations.

For a copy of the California Congressional Delegation letter click here. 

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