Flood Control - Santa Cruz LAFCO

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Santa Cruz LAFCO: Countywide Service Review Flood Protection and Stormwater Services the Plan. The above is based only on the projected funds and not on the need for improvements in the Zones. Zones 7 and 7A Zone 7 provides funding for the operations and maintenance of the Federal flood control project on the Pajaro River and Salsipuedes Creek, as well as related long-term debt service. This reach of the Pajaro River experienced catastrophic flooding in 1995 and 1998. The County notes that disagreements exist on the level of maintenance and its role in the flood. The County is continuing its maintenance efforts as well as planning for replacement and upgrades to the infrastructure. The US Army Corps of Engineers is in the process of completing environmental studies to expand the Pajaro River and creek levees and increase levee height. The Corps expects to receive $477,000 in funding in FY 2004-2005 to finish the studies. However, additional funding will not be appropriated by the Federal government until the studies have been fully reviewed. This could delay the project up to 18 months. Construction may not start until 2008 at the earliest. The County noted that one of the major challenges it faces in the next five years is to gain public acceptance of the levee plan and to reach an agreement on financing with Monterey County. The projected cost will be $200 million, with the Federal government paying 75% and the balance shared between the two counties. When complete the project will provide 100-year flood protection along the Pajaro River, which currently has eight-year protection. The delays are increasing the risk to the County and will likely result in further cost increases. Zone 7A was established on December 14, 2004 to augment existing funding for flood control improvements in the Pajaro River Watershed area in Santa Cruz County, excluding the City of Watsonville. The district will provide administrative and engineering services for the replacement, upgrading, and maintenance of drainage and flood control facilities in the district. The boundary of Zone 7A is coterminous with the Pajaro Storm Drain Maintenance District. The District noted that one of the challenges it faces over the next few years is implementing the Phase II NPDES permit to protect water quality. Pajaro Storm Drain Maintenance District The Pajaro Storm Drain Maintenance District provides stormwater collection and drainage services in the South County in the Pajaro River Watershed outside of the Watsonville city limits. The District’s service area is approximately 83 square miles. The District provides funding for drainage improvements outside the Pajaro River Flood Control Project area, including sediment and vegetation management. The District has included $500,000 for capital improvements in its FY 2004-2005 budget. The Arreola Settlement, which followed the 1995 flooding of the Pajaro River in and near the community of Pajaro in Monterey County, has significantly limited the ability of the District to address infrastructure needs and capital improvements due to limited funding. The Counties of Santa Cruz and Monterey County were each held liable. Both counties settled out of court with Santa Cruz County paying $22 June 2005 – Public Review Draft Section 5 - 7
Santa Cruz LAFCO: Countywide Service Review Flood Protection and Stormwater Services million and Monterey County Water Resources Agency paying $18 million. The County notes that there is a concern regarding how the District will continue to provide adequate maintenance services to the drainage area. CSA 57 – Graham Hill CSA 57 – Graham Hill is a dependent special district formed to provide enhanced stormwater drainage services to the Woods Cove subdivision. The CSA encompasses approximately one-tenth of a square mile. The County maintains the CSA’s underground storm drain systems and above ground drainage ditches and water courses as well as the storm drain line between the subdivision and the San Lorenzo River where the outfall is located. The CSA was formed in 2001 and the infrastructure is new. There have been no reported flooding incidents and no infrastructure deficiencies were noted. 5.3 Financing Constraints and Opportunities Flood protection and stormwater management services are financed through various combinations of General Fund appropriations, development impact fees, property tax, assessments and stormwater utility fees. Limited funding is a concern for the agencies with regards to maintaining service levels, providing for capital improvements and expanding maintenance services to meet Phase II NPDES requirements City of Capitola The City of Capitola funds its drainage services through the City’s General Fund and development impact fees. In FY 2004-2005, the City appropriated $40,000 for storm drain management. As noted above, critical drainage improvements have not been implemented due to financing constraints. The City recognizes the need to establish an additional funding source in order to maintain adequate drainage services. One of the challenges the City faces in the future is establishing a drainage utility fee to pay for NPDES compliance, maintenance and capital improvements. The City’s NPDES program is currently unfunded as is implementation of the Soquel Creek Lagoon Management Plan. Capital improvements are needed in order to achieve the City’s goals for these two programs. Operations and maintenance costs are likely to increase after the improvements are made. City of Santa Cruz The City of Santa Cruz has merged the operations and maintenance of the stormwater collection system with the wastewater collection program. Funding is provided through the Wastewater Fund. The City appropriates some General Fund revenue for capital improvements to the storm drain system; the budget for FY 2004-2005 included $50,000 for improvements. The City has created a Stormwater Utility which is operated as an enterprise activity. Stormwater Utility Fees are used to pay for NPDES Runoff Pollution Prevention management programs and debt service for some citywide benefits of the river levee system improvements. Additional Stormwater Utility Fee revenues from parcels within the 100-year flood plain of the San Lorenzo River pay for the City’s share of debt service to raise the height of the Corps of Engineers levee system and to maintain the levee. This June 2005 – Public Review Draft Section 5 - 8
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Flood Control - Santa Cruz LAFCO

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