From Engineering With Nature: by US Army
Engineer Research and Development Center
– The Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee Setback (LEBLS) Project is a multibenefit project that provides broad flood risk reduction and ecosystem benefits for a large region within California’s Central Valley. For this project, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has constructed an approximately 11,500-meter setback levee to expand the Sacramento and Yolo bypasses by about 450 meters. Construction started in August 2020, and the existing levees were breached in summer 2023 for use of the expanded bypass in winter. The expansion of the bypasses significantly reduces the risk of flooding for the Sacramento area; when coupled with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Sacramento Weir Widening Project, the water surface elevation in the Sacramento River will be reduced by nearly 30 centimeters during high-water events. The expanded bypass footprint area will be used for agriculture and habitat, compatible with seasonal flooding. LEBLS is the first state-led project to be implemented from the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan (CVFPP), which was developed to better manage the risk of flooding in California’s Central Valley, specifically in areas classified as protected by the State Plan of Flood Control. LEBLS has been recognized as a well-performing project at state and local levels. (more)