Yuba Water approved $1,350,000 for three flood risk reduction projects.
City of Wheatland: A $650,000 grant to the City of Wheatland will be used to develop a Stormwater Master Plan to study the area’s hydrology and existing infrastructure for conveying stormwater flows. The plan will also include a list of potential capital improvement projects focused on reducing flood risk and water quality impacts from urban runoff.
Reclamation District 817: A $400,000 grant to RD 817 will cover administrative costs and accrued interest for closing out the Bear River Setback Levee Project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a process that ensures federal levee standards are met.
Completed in November 2022, the project added 2,800 feet of setback levee and 7,800 feet of reinforcements to reduce erosion during high-flow events. The California Department of Water Resources funded 90 percent of the $11 million project, with Yuba Water contributing $1.1 million and a line of credit during construction.
Marysville Levee Commission: A $300,000 loan will increase an existing line of credit to support the Marysville Ring Levee, bringing Yuba Water’s total support to $2.8 million. The funding will be used to explore if additional work is needed for the project to meet California’s Urban Level of Protection requirement, which is essential for continued development in the city.
“In the decades between floods, humans are prone to short-term memory – they forget about the devastation floods cause,” said Yuba Water Board Director Wayne Bishop. “That’s all the more reason to invest in these flood projects now, to safeguard our communities before the next time the water rises.”
Water supply reliability funding
Yuba Water approved several grants and loans totaling more than $6.7 million to support water supply reliability projects.
Cordua Irrigation District: A grant for just over $4 million and a $2 million cash-flow loan will upgrade 12 flow control structures along the Cordua Main Canal with equipment that enables real-time measurements and remote operation. The upgrades will improve water use efficiency, reduce waste and support precise water delivery. The funds from Yuba Water will cover design and engineering and 50 percent of the total construction cost, with Cordua anticipated to cover the remaining 50 percent with federal grant funding. The upgrades are expected to be completed over the next several years.
Camptonville Community Services District: A grant for approximately $623,000 will support planning, design, environmental permitting and construction for improvements to the Campbell Gulch Diversion, Camptonville’s primary water intake serving 85 connections. The project protects critical drinking water infrastructure and ensures the district meets current regulatory requirements. The district has already received a $525,000 grant from the Department of Water Resources. Reconstruction of the diversion is expected to begin next month.
North Yuba Water District: Two grants were awarded to North Yuba Water District.
A $100,000 grant will support planning work on the Forbestown Ditch, a 10-mile canal that delivers irrigation and drinking water to the communities of Challenge, Brownsville, Rackerby and Forbestown. The funding will cover the first phase of a long-term project to modernize the ditch to reduce water loss, improve reliability and lay the groundwork for future improvements. North Yuba Water District will contribute approximately $71,000 in remaining costs.
A second grant for just over $41,000 will cover half of the cost to replace a programmable logic controller system at North Yuba Water District’s water treatment plant, a critical part that controls plant operations. North Yuba Water District will cover the other half.
“Many of these systems and canals are over 100 years old,” said Yuba Water Water Resources Manager Kyle Morgado. “These upgrades will help ensure they can operate for the next 100 years.”
Additionally, Yuba Water approved a $10,000 sponsorship for the National Pumpkin Weigh Off at Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm, a local event supporting youth through 4-H and FFA programs.
Learn more about how Yuba Water is powering a brighter future for Yuba County at yubawater.org.