SBFCA receives $1.14M grant from state for restoration project

Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
·2 min read

Oct. 11—The Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency announced Monday that it received $1.14 million in Proposition 68 grant funding from the California Department of Water Resources to expand efforts to lower storm and flood water elevations in the Feather River, while also improving habitat for endangered fisheries.

According to the agency, the grant will pay for planning costs for its Oroville Wildlife Area (OWA) Robinson's Riffle Restoration Project.

Officials with Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency (SBFCA), said the awarding of the grant was in part a result of the agency's success for its 2019 OWA Flood Stage Reduction Project, which involved flood control weir improvements and the removal of a dike to reconnect a segment of the Feather River to its historic floodplain. The agency said the Robinson's Riffle Restoration Project is intended to restore additional habitat, reduce flood stages, and increase flood conveyance and transitory storage within the Feather River by excavating remnant tailing piles from historic gold mining and dredging operations.

"This project when completed will lower water elevations in a key portion of the Feather River during big storms and increase the resiliency of flood management structures in the Oroville area," SBFCA Executive Director Michael Bessette said in a statement. "The project will provide new recreational benefits for residents and improve conditions for endangered fish like Chinook salmon and green sturgeon. It's truly an investment everyone can support."

The agency said the project planning phase could take between 12 and 18 months and will be followed by a design and permitting process before construction can begin in 2024.

"Getting this grant is great news for the agency and its members," Wade Kirchner, a Yuba City councilmember and SBFCA board chair, said in a statement. "We've been aggressively seeking federal and state funding for flood control and habitat restoration projects for many years now. This latest grant will position the agency to compete for future federal and state funding and reduces the financial burden on our residents to pay for these projects."

For more information, contact Bessette at 530-755-9859.