Flood Control - Santa Cruz LAFCO

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Santa Cruz LAFCO: Countywide Service Review Flood Protection and Stormwater Services City of Scotts Valley The City of Scotts Valley provides drainage services within the City’s boundary. Stormwater is discharged into Carbonera Creek, its two tributaries, and a tributary of Bean Creek. The City has only experienced minor flooding in localized areas in the past ten years, primarily due to debris plugging inlets or culverts and localized infrastructure deficiencies. The City noted that all deficiencies have been corrected where they affect residential or commercial areas. The City emphasizes pre-event debris removal as a best management practice. The City noted that it has had a very limited number of claims even though rainfall averages 50-inches per year. The City’s Storm Drain Master Plan identifies areas requiring improvement and infrastructure needs. Projects are implemented as impact fee funds become available. The City’s Capital Improvement Program includes approximately $550,000 in storm drain projects through FY 2008-2009; however, no projects are scheduled for FY 2004-2005 or FY 2005-2006. One of the City’s goals for FY 2005-2006 is to continue to revise the application for the State-mandated Stormwater Master Plan and receive approval of the plan. The City also intends to complete the permit condition for the first year by June 30, 2006. Scotts Valley also included as a FY 20024-2005 goal to increase the street sweeping frequency in the fall of 2004 to comply with the conditions of the Master Plan and minimize accumulated debris being washed into storm drains and the creek during the first storms of the rainy season. City of Watsonville The City of Watsonville provides flood protection and stormwater management services within the City’s boundary. The City’s drainage system includes over 50 miles of storm drain pipes with 200 drop inlets and 15 stormwater pump stations. There has been localized street flooding due to large amounts of rainfall over a short period of time which exceeded the industry standards for design capacity. The City noted that the greatest risk of significant flooding is due to insufficient carrying capacity of the Pajaro River and Salsipuedes Creek. Over the last several years the City has constructed five new stormwater pump stations and six new stormwater retention basins. The City has also installed 2,500 feet of 54-inch diameter stormwater pipe. Watsonville also installed a Web-based monitoring system to measure river and creek levels as well as alarm/status of all stormwater pump stations. Watsonville noted that the City’s biggest challenge and highest priority is the need for construction of a regional flood protection project to prevent flooding from the Pajaro River, Salsipuedes Creek and Corralitos Creek. The Army Corps of Engineers has predicted a flooding frequency of once every seven years for Salsipuedes and Corralitos Creeks, and once every 13 years for the Pajaro River, based on the existing, outdated levee system. The estimated economic damage associated with flooding events in the Pajaro Valley is $24 million for the creeks, and $15 million for the river. June 2005 – Public Review Draft Section 5 - 5
Santa Cruz LAFCO: Countywide Service Review Flood Protection and Stormwater Services Santa Cruz County Flood Control & Water Conservation District The Santa Cruz County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, operated through the County Public Works, Planning, and Environmental Health Departments, performs a broad range of services related to the monitoring of water conditions and control of surface waters. Two branches of the District principally concern activities beyond traditional storm drainage and flood control engineering and maintenance. One is the general Water Conservation District (Index 135462), which performs ground and surface water studies and operates the flood warning system. The other is Zone 4, which performs watershed enhancement activities countywide, such as review of timber harvest plans, logjam removal from streams, and conjunctive water use studies. These two branches of the District will not be addressed in further detail in this report. Zones 1, 2, and 3 have never been activated and are reserved for other areas of the County that do not have flood control or storm drainage facilities. Santa Cruz County Flood Control & Water Conservation District Flood Protection Zones Zone Area Square Miles Zone 5 Live Oak, Capitola, and Soquel June 2005 – Public Review Draft Section 5 - 6 8.75 Zone 6 Aptos 4.74 Zone 7 Pajaro River Watershed, including the City of Watsonville 89.4 Zone 7A Pajaro Valley 83 Zone 8 San Lorenzo Valley 76.44 Zones 5, 6 and 8 The facilities within Zones 5, 6 and 8 include underground storm drain systems and above ground ditches and water courses. Zone 7 (Pajaro Valley) facilities include the Federal flood control project on the Pajaro River and Salsipuedes Creek. The District has experienced numerous flooding events of varying magnitudes in each zone. The flooding in the creeks is the most serious because of the flow and the potential for debris to block the watercourse. In urban areas, overflowing ditches and plugged drop inlet grates are the primary concern. For example, one of the District’s storm drain lines located on a private parcel in Zone 5 had to be replaced after it failed during a storm event. The severity of the past incidents could have been reduced with more staff and maintenance capabilities as well as some infrastructure improvements. The District has developed a Capital Improvement Plan that addresses the most urgent infrastructure needs within three of the zones. Projects are implemented as funding is available. The Plan covers the period of 2004-2009 and includes $4 million in projects for Zone 5 (Mid-County), $1.25 million for Zone 6 (Aptos), and $1.13 million for Zone 8 (San Lorenzo Valley). Zone 7 (Pajaro Valley) is not addressed in
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