It continues, not so good news.
Levee 'emergency' is off
Declaration could delay Natomas fix, agency says
By Matt Weiser - mweiser@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Levees protecting neighborhoods in Sacramento's Natomas basin might be substandard, but they don't represent an emergency situation.
That's the conclusion of the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency's boss, who recently recommended against asking Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for an emergency declaration to accelerate Natomas levee repairs. Such a declaration, said SAFCA Executive Director Stein Buer, could actually delay the needed work.
"It would cause us to get cross-wise with environmental groups and property groups, who would accuse us of being heavy-handed," Buer said. "Our history is to be thoughtful and respectful. That's a legacy I want to maintain and build on."
Despite losing this round, supporters may continue to press the region's elected officials to consider an emergency declaration.
Gregory Thatch, a Sacramento attorney representing several Natomas developers, said the matter still must be "fully examined."
SAFCA proposes to raise and strengthen nearly 25 miles of Natomas levees at an estimated cost of $576 million. The work is required after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ruled in 2006 that the levees don't meet minimal standards for urban safety.
As a result, Natomas now faces a mandatory flood insurance requirement and a likely building moratorium next year.
The proposed repairs are complicated, with some 1,500 "execution tasks" that must be achieved to keep the project on track.
Also, Buer recently acknowledged that actual levee repairs in Natomas probably won't start this year, as originally planned, due to the time required to obtain Army Corps approval.
