CACHE CREEK FLOOD MANAGEMENT

Press Release - September 2006

Flood control and emergency preparedness along Cache Creek are of vital interest to Yolo County. The Water Resources Association of Yolo County (WRA) is working with Yolo County, the City of Woodland, and the Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (YCFCWCD) to refine existing data to analyze flood risk, maintain existing flood capacity, identify potential flood control solutions through a public process, and help plan for emergencies.  Coordinating the effort is the WRA Cache Creek Flood Management Subcommittee, consisting of representatives from the WRA, Yolo County, the City of Woodland, and the YCFCWCD.

To assist with emergency planning, the WRA, the City of Woodland, and Yolo County are completing a study to determine the location, depth, and duration of flooding that would occur as a result of levee breaks on Cache Creek, based on an analysis of both the 1995 flood event (a 30 year event) and an estimated 100 year event. 

To help preserve the creek’s existing flood capacity, the WRA, Yolo County, and the Cache Creek Conservancy are working together to remove non-native invasive vegetation in a two-mile stretch of Cache Creek above I-5. Removal of this invasive vegetation will improve flow conveyance and decrease the rate of bank erosion at points where the vegetation creates channel constrictions and deflects flows toward banks and levees. In addition, Lake County and the YCFCWCD are exploring the feasibility of projects to improve Cache Creek flood management, such as modifications to the Clear Lake operational criteria and lakeside flood control activities.

The WRA Cache Creek Flood Management Subcommittee has established a technical Flood Advisory Committee (CC-FAC) to serve as an independent panel to review flood management data.  The CC-FAC will determine the adequacy of the data and advise the subcommittee on any gaps, deficiencies or data needs. CC-FAC membership includes local and regional professionals and community members with technical expertise in flood control, hydrology, engineering and related disciplines, who will work together for the next six months. This group’s progress and findings will be shared with the public at bi-monthly meetings hosted by local entities. The first briefing will take place as part of the Yolo County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP) public workshop on October 25, 4:30 to 7 pm at the Heidrick Ag History Center in Woodland, CA.  For more information, please visit the WRA’s website: www.yolowra.org.

The WRA also has incorporated Cache Creek flood management actions into the IRWMP. The WRA will continue to work with the Cache Creek Flood Management Subcommittee to make progress on finding a flood management solution as part of the IRWMP implementation process.

For more information about these activities, please contact David Scheuring, WRA Chair, at 530-666-2733 or info@yolowra.org.

REPORTS and INFORMATION

Executive Summary Stakeholder Interviews conducted in June 2006