USACE seeks public comment on Pajaro River environmental document
The Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment (EA) will be available for public comments until Friday, May 17, 2024.
Links:
Draft Pajaro River at Watsonville, California Reach 6 Flood Risk Management Project – Supplemental Environmental Assessment [PDF]
Notice of Availability: Draft Pajaro River at Watsonville, California Reach 6 Flood Risk Management Project Supplemental EA
Press Release
PAJARO RIVER
CONSTRUCTION
The Pajaro River at Watsonville, CA project (Pajaro) is currently in the construction phase. On November 2, 2023, the San Francisco District and the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency (PRFMA) executed a Project Partnership Agreement (PPA). The PPA marks the official beginning of the construction phase of a project and allows construction funding to be spent.
The team is working on developing engineering plans and specification (P&S) for the first reach of the project (Reach 6). The current schedule has Reach 6 designs being complete in Spring 2024 with construction beginning in late Summer 2024.
PROJECT LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION
Pajaro provides flood risk management (FRM) along the Pajaro River and Tributaries in Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties. The project area is about 100 miles south of San Francisco, California and includes the economically disadvantaged City of Watsonville, the severely disadvantaged Town of Pajaro, and surrounding high-value agricultural land. The City of Watsonville and vicinity has experienced continued flooding from the Pajaro River and from its tributaries (Corralitos and Salsipuedes Creeks) and has suffered loss of life from catastrophic flooding events. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed a project in June 1949 which included improvements of about 11.8 miles of levee construction on Pajaro River and 2.4 miles on Corralitos/Salsipuedes Creek. The Director's Report completed in December 2019 recommends a plan that would provide significantly improved flood risk management for urban/residential areas and high value agricultural lands that support a $1 billion/year agriculture industry.
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TOTAL FUNDING
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TOTAL COST
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$ 599,001,0001
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FEDERAL COST
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$ 389,350,650
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NON-FEDERAL COST
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$ 209,650,350
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TOTAL PROJECT EXPENDITURES THROUGH FY 2023
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$ 19,271,000
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1Total project cost based upon August 2023 certified project cost estimate
FY21 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Signed Design Agreement
- Revised Hydraulics & Hydrology analysis
- Assembled Project Delivery Team (PDT)
FY22 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Completed preliminary geotechnical explorations
- Awarded a contract to conduct design surveys along Reach 5 & Reach 6
- Awarded a design contract to complete Plans & Specifications for Reach 6
- Drafted an updated Biological Assessment describing potential environmental effects of Pajaro project on species and habitats
FY23 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Signed Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for environmental compliance
- Developed 60% designs for Reach 6 (the first section of levee to be constructed)
- Completed Value Engineering (VE) Study
- Updated project’s Certified Cost Estimate
- Drafted Engineering Documentation Report (EDR) which described engineering refinements and environmental compliance actions completed since approved feasibility report
FY24 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Completed 90% designs for Reach 6
- Executed Project Partnership Agreement (PPA)
- Issued Real Estate Acquisition Letter to non-Federal Sponsor (NFS)
OTHER INFORMATION
- The Non-Federal Sponsor (NFS) is Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency (PRFMA)
- To date, the NFS has contributed $2.39 Million in cash and in-kind credit to support design work in the PED phase
CONGRESSIONAL INTEREST
- 18th District, Rep. Zoe Lofgren
- 19th District, Rep. Jimmy Panetta
POINT OF CONTACT
- Deputy for Project Management, Thomas R. Williams, 415-503-6560
Updated on 11 April 2024
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