From ABC 10 – River Partners, a Chico nonprofit, is setting out to restore much of the valley’s natural floodplains ahead of the next big flood just around the corner. Although the drought is dominating conversation, the next big flood is just around the corner. The 2016-17 winter is a prime example of this; record rain and snow fell following years of drought, stressing California’s infrastructure to the max. The Central Valley is historically extremely prone to flooding, such as in 1862 when Sacramento was underwater for months. The state has since built reservoirs to control water flow and levees to protect cities and farmland, but the Central Valley is still under flood threat. (more)