Wolk applauds DWR addition of Yolo County levee site

West Sacramento levee site added to Emergency List, Wolk anticipates addition of cache creek sites

SACRAMENTO– Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) today applauded the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) for adding an erosion site along the Sacramento River in West Sacramento to their emergency levee repair list. The Department is also working on including two additional sites from Cache Creek. Wolk had written Governor Schwarzenegger and the Department last month requesting the levee be added to the list the Governor had created after his emergency flood declaration February 24.

“This is great news,” said Wolk. “The Department is listening. The Governor is listening. This is about public safety and we can’t take any chances and they acknowledge this. We have to assess the risks and collectively figure out how to lessen them. The State has stepped up to the plate.”

The levee erosion site is one of five additional sites DWR added to its critical erosion list, a list that now numbers 29. The condition of the five sites, already judged last year as “potentially critical” by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was worsened with the January 2006 rains and subsequent flooding events. DWR staff expects to begin work on the sites sometime in early June, weather permitting. The West Sacramento levee is at River Mile 56.8 on the right bank of the Sacramento River.

“Peoples lives and livelihoods are at risk and we can’t sit around and wait for the Federal government or someone else to step in and save the day,” said Wolk. “We don’t have the luxury of time. We need to do whatever it takes to shore up these dangerous levees.”

In addition, Wolk has received assurances from DWR to further consider the addition of two additional levees along Cache Creek to the list, including Huff’s Corner. The Cache Creek sites are being considered for addition to the list.

“The addition of the Cache Creek sites to the list is a top priority,” said Wolk. “And I’m heartened that the Department has not closed the door. We are working closely with them to find a way to get these levees fixed and I’m pledging to do whatever it takes to pull the parties together and find a solution.”