1. REFERENCE:
a. OMB memorandum dated 18 Feb 1997, Subject: Floodplain Management and Procedures For Evaluation and Review of Levee and Associated Restoration Projects.
b. OMB memorandum dated 25 April 1997, subject: Monthly Agency Reports on the Status of Levee Repair and Associated Restoration.
2. PURPOSE: To provide an updated monthly status report for activities during the last 30 days related to levee repairs and non-structural alternatives as required by the above references.
3. U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ACTIONS TAKEN: In response to the December 96 - January 97 flooding situation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assisted State and local authorities in flood fighting while coordinating with other Federal and State agencies on operations of reservoirs to minimize the downstream effects as much as possible. After the December-January floods, the San Francisco and Sacramento District offices of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a Public Notice for levee rehabilitation assistance under the PL 84-99 program. The Public Notice process ended May 10, 1997.
During the period between the time of the public notice and the floodwaters receding, the districts implemented an interim flood protection plan. The plan provided flood protection for the remainder of the flood season by maximizing the use of reservoirs and completing initial levee rehabilitation. This phase provided for a 25-year level of protection. The District offices are currently completing Project Information Reports (PIR's). Each PIR addresses the costs, benefits, environmental assessments, etc. The PIR's evaluate structural repair of the levee as well as non-structural alternatives. The district will restore a structure's flood protection to a pre-flood level and return the structure to its pre-flood condition if a non-structural alternative is not identified or agreed upon by the sponsor and the lead agency.
The Corps is continuing with the funded studies identified in the previous report. Efforts will continue under Phase III to identify potential NSA's and to repair damaged structures in accordance with established procedures.
4. OUTREACH: During the period of March through August 1997, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has pursued an aggressive outreach program with participation from various Federal and State agencies. The program has been relatively successful and has opened a new level of dialogue with State and local entities regarding flood plain management problems. As reported, there were a series of workshops held as well as a newsletter developed that addressed flood plain management activities. From an interagency perspective, an aggressive outreach program must continue in order to achieve success in the long term.
5. BARRIERS TO NON-STRUCTURAL ALTERNATIVES: The primary barrier in implementing the NSA program continues to be willing sellers, the desire for structural flood protection, and the time and effort needed to finalize a non-structural alternative. The process is complex. Several non-structural alternatives are attainable, but it is a lengthy process and may take several months beyond the November 1997 time period to complete. Actions taken to overcome these barriers are to work hand in hand with the other agencies, the State and Local entities. The ITF has identified strong candidates for this program and the Sacramento District is concentrating on completing those projects in the short term. In the long term, which will be over the next 18 months or more, the Corps, CALFED, DWR and the other key Federal agencies will work together to fully consider relevant options regarding NSAs. In that regard, a Flood Plain Management Working Group was established to address Flood Plain Management activities. Efforts will consider recommendations from the Governor's FEAT report and will be addressed in a Long Term Action Plan. See Section 8.
6. FUNDING: Funds in the amount of $118,782,149 have been allocated as of the end of August 1997 for flood fighting and levee repair by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A supplemental appropriation for the Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies in the amount of $415,000,000 was approved and signed by the President. Funds are considered adequate for the PL84-99 program in the State of California.
7. PERSONNEL: There are 84 personnel working on the levee repair and associated restoration effort. There are 82 at the District level, 2 on the ITF Staff. The 82 personnel at the district includes 2 military officers. The increase in staffing is reflective of the construction effort.
8. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE EFFORT: In an effort to improve Federal flood response and floodplain management in the future, the Clinton Administration challenged Federal agencies to look at non-structural alternatives instead of structural repairs to levee systems. Thus, the Office of Management and Budget in coordination with the Council on Environmental Quality designated the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as the lead Federal agency to facilitate this effort. The Corps convened an Interagency Task Force on 3 March 1997 to review floodplain management and procedures for evaluation and review of levee and associated restoration projects. Other members of the task force include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Interior which includes the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Geological Survey, the Department of Agriculture -- Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Small Business Administration, and the Department of Commerce -- National Marine Fisheries Service. The Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Transportation are not actively participating. State participants include the California Resources Agency, the Department of Water Resources, Reclamation Board and individuals from the CALFED program.
Most agencies struggled with their respective workloads and support requirements for the ITF process. Since agencies were not directly funded for this activity, most provided what level of effort they could while trying to balance their own workloads. Thus, the commitment to the process was not as good as it could have been. The agencies were reminded continuously that they must become involved early in the process, if the non-structural alternatives program was to be addressed appropriately. Agencies within the ITF structure worked together closely with Federal and State environmental agencies and local officials as well as the CALFED program and the Department of Water Resources (DWR), which addressed recommendations in the Governor's Flood Emergency Action Team report. While the main focus for non-structural alternatives was on the Cosumnes and lower San Joaquin Rivers, the ITF explored other sites for potential non-structural solutions. These sites are being catalogued for inclusion in future long term analysis of the flood plain management problems.
Status report of the four proposed NSAs:
RD 2099: Informal fee acquisition negotiations between the landowner and USFWS continues. The NEPA coordination of the EA for the USFWS NWR expansion continues. It is anticipated to be completed by the end of September 1997. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District has completed the property and topo survey to determine existing FCW design elevation and the assessment of impact on adjacent landowners of abandonment of the existing levee is underway. The impact assessment will be completed by the end of September 1997. Based on the assessment, appropriate flowage easement, and related actions will be immediately initiated.
RD 2100/2102: The landowners and USFWS continue with negotiations. The status is the same as RD 2099.
RD 2124: The draft PCA has been completed and forwarded to the South Pacific Division and HQ for review and approval. Plans and specifications for the structural earthwork components of the NSA, which will partially remove the existing levee and flood proof access roads, etc. has been initiated and will be completed by the end of September 1997.
SJ #18: The EA was completed and FONSI signed on 25 August 1997. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District is coordinating with the California State Department of Parks and Recreation, the landowner, on the nonstructural plan. SJRLD1 has yet to forward a written confirmation of the request for a NSA. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, is to secure the written request as soon as possible.
A formal ITF meeting held September 4, 1997, at the DFO, Mather Field, provided the agencies with updated information relative to the coordination efforts between the various agencies and the ITF. The GIS levee data base/mapping effort at the DFO has phased down. The ITF will coordinate all map requests from the other agencies with Sacramento District. USFWS continues to pursue land acquisitions along the San Joaquin relative to the wildlife refuge expansion associated with RD 2100, RD 2102 and RD 2099. CALFED was not present. FEMA was not present. SBA was not present. EPA was not present. NRCS reported that construction has been initiated on the Cosumnes River. BOR has submitted their proposal to CALFED for use of Category III funding. Currently there is only $71 million budgeted and there are $620 million worth of submitted proposals. No other activities to report. The California DWR and the Reclamation Board were present and provided feedback relative to the NSAs. The Sacramento District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers briefed the ITF members on the status of the four potential NSAs and provided an update on the levee rehabilitation effort. A special briefing by Mr. Edward Inwood, Mono County Supervisor, on the West Walker river was provided. Ms. Bonnie Galvin, from OMB attended the ITF meeting and was provided tours of the NSA areas for RD 2124 and RD 2100.
The Flood Plain Management Working Group of the ITF continues to work to guide future activities relative to flood plain management. The current workings of the Interagency Task Force's Flood Plain Management Working Group, in coordination with the efforts of Governor Wilson's Flood Plain Management Task Force and in conjunction with the Galloway Report, and CALFED initiatives provide a framework on which to move forward. This will require coordinating the various authorities among agencies and the potential remedies to obtain reasonable compromises. This group would also seek legislation, at any governmental level to enhance the applicability of good flood plain management. To make prudent decisions the working group must develop an adequate baseline of information and knowledge. Admittedly we may never possess all the information we need to make decisions comfortably. Decades and decades of human activities within the flood plains and the fact that flood control works only protect to a specific event (say a one hundred year flood) have placed people and developed property at risk. Future decisions cannot be speculative but rather must be based on sound principles and guidelines. There must be alternatives to the current "status quo", challenging the use of structural solutions. Scientific methods can assist in this endeavor in order to achieve a balanced approach. Experience with floods provides that there must be an alternative approach in order to save lives and reduce property damages. Unless a steady and continuous effort is applied over the long term, nothing substantial will ever come to fruition.
The ITF staff at the DFO, Mather Field, continues to facilitate activities with the various Federal and State agencies. Over the last month, the ITF staff has facilitated meetings with the ITF membership relating to the working process of the NSA initiative. The ITF membership has been reminded of the need to be proactive in the non-structural alternative area and to review activities to date to be sure all avenues have been pursued. The overall active participation in the monthly ITF meetings by the Federal agencies has declined, while the State continues to participate fully. This ITF staff element will remain in place as long as the DFO is operational. The DFO is scheduled to close by September 30, 1997. An After Action Report is being prepared.
9. PROJECT REPORT INFORMATION: Since the August 6, 1997, Interagency Task Force monthly report there have been a total of 11 additional reports furnished the ITF membership for review and comment.
A total of 71 reports have been circulated to members of the ITF for review and comment. These 71 reports include drafts and finals and reflect projects under FEMA, NRCS and Corps authority. There is approximately a 40% to 80 % participation rate from the active ITF membership for these reviews. Those agencies actively participating other than the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are FEMA, BOR, BLM, FWS, NRCS, NMFS, CALFED and DWR. Enclosure 1 contains the comment sheets from ITF number 52 through 71. This is a continuation from the August report. Enclosure 2 is a general summary status report.
10. SUMMARY: The ITF is continuing to provide a forum for those agencies motivated to participate in finding NSAs. The ITF's process is now winding down as chartered. We are continuing to develop outreach programs to reach out further to the local citizens, landowners and the levee districts in an effort to promote NSAs. The outreach program discussed in Section 4 has been a success. The major gains in NSAs will come from the long range efforts and the ITF setting the stage through some successful NSAs, increased public knowledge, and helping establish a favorable mindset. The transition from the short-term to the long-term is being developed. Overall, the ITF process was a success. An After Action Report is being prepared to highlight lessons learned. This is the last formal ITF report for this event in accordance with the OMB/CEQ guidance.