Watch CBS News

Federal Engineers Seek Input On $1.47 Billion Sacramento Levee Repair Project

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Federal engineers held the first of several community meetings on how best to fix Sacramento levees.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is just getting started on a billion-dollar proposal to raise and strengthen more of Sacramento's levees in a process that could take more than a decade to complete.

Even during California's drought, longtime Sacramento residents like Curtis Williams remember how devastating floods can be.

"The water was higher than my car," he said. "I know a lot of people that live there was using boats to get to their house."

Plans call for strengthening levees around rivers and creeks by constructing new underground concrete walls to stop seepage. The Sacramento bypass would also be expanded to accommodate more water during high-river runoff.

Environmental documents show work could temporarily disrupt some marinas and over riverfront businesses, and up to 13 homes may have to be permanently removed.

Chris Gray Garcia with the Army Corps says a levee break could be devastating.

"In many places we could see in a 200-year storm places that could flood more than 30 feet," he said.

Engineers say that could cause more than $50 billion in property damage and 525,000 people could be displaced, with more than 1,000 killed.

"The risk here is still quite high," he said. "The total of that work is about $1.47 billion. It's a lot of money but it's a far deal less than the cost of flooding."

He says the split will be 65-35 between the feds and state and local governments.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.