We would agree with this analysis and hope others look at the facts soberly, leaving politics and personalities out of it.
We really need more flood protection. Our vulnerability to massive flooding is clearly the biggest public safety risk currently facing Sacramento.
A 500 year level is obviously desirable, and only the dam provides that.
For a dramatic graphic describing what the congressmen wrote about, go to the Department of Water Resources webpage at http://www.levees.water.ca.gov/history/floodprotect.cfm .
Benefits of Auburn dam outweigh costs of a flood
Good forest management can be balanced with logging interests
By John Doolittle and Dan Lungren -
Published 12:00 am PST Sunday, February 18, 2007
The Bureau of Reclamation's recent report provided insight on what an Auburn dam could mean for our region. The report is clear that under certain conditions an Auburn dam could:
• Provide 500-year flood protection;
• Generate significant water supply and hydroelectric power revenues; and
• Provide positive recreational and environmental benefits along the American River.
Congress directed the bureau to prepare a special report within the parameters of the latest design for an Auburn dam, which took place in 1978. This required the bureau to adapt a 30-year-old design to meet current conditions and make numerous assumptions to develop a range of potential benefit values and costs.
It is unfortunate that The Bee selected the most unfavorable range of benefit and cost values and presented it as if it were a report finding. The report states no conclusions or recommendations but rather provides information to use as a catalyst for a constructive discussion about flood control.
One finding that is clear, however, is that our region is faced with twice the risk and half the protection from catastrophic flooding as New Orleans had been prior to Katrina.
Tacoma, St. Louis, Dallas and Kansas City are the other major cities at risk of catastrophic flooding. All have 500-year flood protection. Besides New Orleans, only Omaha has a mere 250-year flood protection. Astoundingly, our region currently has roughly 85-year flood protection. We have labored hard to put in motion major repairs of the levees and modifications of Folsom dam, and look forward to their completion over the coming decade. Unfortunately, the most Sacramento can hope to achieve from all these improvements is 220-year flood protection.
