Corps of Engineers Seeks Public Comment on Pajaro River Study

Published Oct. 31, 2017

SAN FRANCISCO –The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking public and stakeholder comments on a draft study for flood risk management on the Pajaro River. The goal of this study is to identify a solution that reasonably maximizes net flood risk reduction benefits to the communities of Watsonville and Pajaro.

In 2012, the Army Corps of Engineers, recognizing the need to complete complex and challenging studies in a more expeditious manner, employed a more streamlined, risked based feasibility study process. Passed into law in the Water Resources Development and Reform Act of 2014, this process has been fully employed to all Corps studies, including those that were ongoing prior to the 2014 legislation. The Pajaro Feasibility Study is one of those challenging studies that has been going on for a long time, as the Corps and local stakeholders have faced significant challenges on finding a plan that can be supported by both the Federal and local governments. 

The Pajaro study was rescoped using updated Corps planning procedures and received Corps executive level attention in order to complete this important study. Recently the Corps and the non-Federal Sponsors (local cost share partners) have agreed upon a tentative plan and will be seeking public and agency comments during a 30-day comment period.

The Corps looks forward to receiving and addressing public and stakeholder comments as we complete this important feasibility study that seeks to recommend a solution to reduce flood risk for the citizens of Pajaro, Watsonville and surrounding area.

A copy of the draft integrated General Reevaluation Report and Environmental Assessment (GRR/EA) may be found at:

http://www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects-and-Programs/Projects-by-Category/Projects-for-Flood-Risk-Management/Pajaro-River-Watsonville/

Comments on the draft study may be submitted starting Oct. 31, 2017, through Nov. 30, 2017. If comments are provided by mail, they must be received at the address below no later than Nov. 30, 2017.

 Send Comments To:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, ATTN: CESPN-ET-PB-Pajaro River, 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398.

* Email: CESPN-ET-PB@usace.army.mil.

* Comment letters should include the commenter's physical mailing address and include “Pajaro River” in the subject line.

 For More Information contact Mr. Christopher Eng, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398. Telephone: (415) 503-6868. Email: CESPN-ET-PB@usace.army.mil.