Central Valley Flood Protection Board

The Central Valley Flood Protection Board (Board) establishes, maintains, and enforces standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of the flood control system to protect life, property, and habitat in California’s Central Valley. The Board coordinates State entities, local flood risk control agencies and the federal government to minimize damages from floods in California’s Central Valley and is the non-federal sponsor for federal flood control projects in the State Plan of Flood Control. The Board serves as a public forum for flood risk reduction policy in the Central Valley and is responsible for adopting updates to the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan every five years.

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January 24, 2025 – Board Meeting, 9:00am (Agenda)

PUBLIC HOURS AND MEETING SCHEDULE

In accordance with the Governor’s order, the Board will continue to host hybrid meetings and workshops. Locations and access information for future meetings will be posted on our homepage and updated as needed.

For public drop off of physical documents, including applications and fees, we can be contacted by phone or email as noted below to schedule a drop off.

With our new hybrid teleworking environment, most staff are only at our office location on Tuesdays each week. Administrative staff are available at the front desk Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 am – 3:00 pm. Appointments are required to meet with staff or receive in-person assistance at the front desk. If you are currently working with a staff member on an item, please continue to contact that staff member. If you need general information, please contact the general mailbox at Questions@CVFlood.ca.gov.
We will be prioritizing permits based upon health and safety factors, including the availability of staff and partners, and application processing times may be extended during this period. Please bear with us as we work through this new system.
Past recordings of Board meetings and workshops can be found on the CVFPB YouTube Channel

Jane Dolan
Board President

NEWS & HIGHLIGHTS

DWR: Understanding the State Water Project Allocation

From Maven’s Notebook,

By the Department of Water Resources:

What is a State Water Project allocation?

The State Water Project (SWP) is a system of reservoirs, canals, and pumping plants that was built by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) in the 1960s to provide water supply, flood control, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Water supplies from the SWP were always intended to fluctuate with California precipitation, which naturally swings between flood and drought. The SWP delivers water to 29 public water agencies based on long-term water supply contracts. Each year, starting in December, DWR announces to those water agencies – called SWP contractors – approximately how much water the project is likely to be capable of delivering in the coming year. Once a month for several more months, DWR assesses the water supply for “allocation” and may update the allocation if conditions warrant. The allocation is expressed as a percentage of the 29 public water agencies’ maximum water supply contract, such as 15 percent or 75 percent. DWR announces the final allocation in May or June, then make deliveries to contractors based on the final allocation and subsequent contractor demands. (more)

SJV WATER: Kern groundwater agency bans pumping along sinking California Aqueduct

By Maven’s Notebook

By Lois Henry, SJV Water

A groundwater agency on the western fringes of Kern County has taken the unprecedented step of banning all pumping from wells along the California Aqueduct for a 30-mile stretch.

The move is mainly designed to protect the vital artery that moves hundreds of millions of gallons of water a day from northern to southern California and is threatened by sinking land that could crimp its ability to function.

The ban is also intended to prove whether groundwater pumping is the true culprit. (more)

DELTA SCIENCE PLAN update: Crafting solutions for the Delta’s ‘Grand Challenges’

From Maven’s Notebook

The Delta Science Program is currently working on the third iteration of the Delta Science Plan. Recommended within the Delta Plan, the Delta Science Plan is developed collaboratively with the Delta science community. Its purpose is to provide a clear vision, guiding principles, and effective approaches for coordinating Delta science efforts, as well as communicating the outcomes of scientific activities and their management implications to decision-makers. (more)

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