This story in the Bee from Friday, March 3, about flood protection in Natomas and growth policies there, makes some good points; primarily that we should be protecting people from flooding, when possible, rather than banning them from living in floodplains, when practical.
That perspective, that we can solve problems, is typically American, and provides the foundation for the way of life most of us enjoy. It is good to see that some of our public leaders understand this.
Here is an excerpt.
Natomas growth has many backers
Council majority wants to fix levees, not keep people out.
By Carrie Peyton Dahlberg -- Bee Staff WriterPublished 2:15 am PST Friday, March 3, 2006
The troubled flood defenses in Sacramento's Natomas area will test state and local leaders on a critical safety issue: How much development are they willing to allow behind weak levees?
A majority of Sacramento City Council members say they have no interest in acting now to suspend building in Natomas, although several left the door open to partial growth curbs once they learn more.
At the state level, a key board that could be a strong voice against development in flood-threatened areas is re-examining its tough stance and may reverse tracks.
And federal regulators remain locked in a system that involves lengthy review before revising official flood maps in ways that could limit building.
Even the sight of a major American city drowned by levee breaks after Hurricane Katrina has not been enough to slow settlement onto lands of dubious safety, said Ron Stork of Friends of the River.
"The system was broke before Katrina and the system is still broke today," he said. "It is clear that there shouldn't be any more people in Natomas until there is 100-year protection."
The plight of Natomas, where 67,000 people live in a basin surrounded by rivers and canals, could become one of the state's most visible illustrations of the political forces favoring growth in floodplains.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has moved aggressively to address flood safety on one level, proposing a massive state bond to shore up levees, alter dam gates and catch up on deferred maintenance.
However, keeping floodwaters away from people is only part of the solution, say experts in managing America's flood-prone regions. It's also critical to adopt policies that keep people away from floodwaters, by elevating buildings, reducing insurance guarantees and limiting growth in the most vulnerable locations.
From New Orleans to Sacramento, such efforts face enormous resistance.
"The city of Sacramento is on a roll now, and I don't want to see that slow down," said Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell. "We're finally becoming the city we knew we were. We need to keep building, and make sure all of our levees and creeks and canals are reinforced heavily."
