California Levees Most In Need Of Repair Lacking Funding

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — In the wake of several storms that caused levee failures in the Sacramento Valley, state officials held meetings to prioritize upcoming levee improvement projects.

After years of drought, there's now growing scrutiny over the state of California's levees. The flooding that followed recent storms is a reminder of what can happen when levees fail.

"There's always a need for more work to be done on the levees," said Bethel Island resident Robert Amrine. "We need more rock on it. We should widen them a little, bring them up a little bit higher."

Members of California's Delta Stewardship Council are holding a series of public meetings, getting input from people on which levees should be fixed first.

The Yolo Bypass is one of the levees being moved to the high-risk category after its 100-year flood protection was decertified by the state. It is currently filling with floodwater off of the Sacramento River, and a breach would threaten Davis and Woodland.

The state has $155 million in bond money to spend, but fixing the highest priority delta levees is estimated to cost more than $2 billion.

People who live behind the levees say it's crucial to find money for ongoing maintenance and improvements.

Another public meeting will be held on Tuesday in Walnut Grove.