From KCRA3 – Millions of dollars are going to San Joaquin County to help reduce flood risk. On Wednesday, Representative Josh Harder (D) Modesto announced that $35 million from the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act will go toward improving levees in San Joaquin County this year. The goal is to fix the levee system before another major flood hits the area. The funding is to fix a 23 mile stretch of the levee, which will protect residents of Manteca, Lathrop and the greater Stockton area from flooding, according to Harder. “It’s going to be huge for everybody across our area, not just 160,000 people, but 97 percent of commercial businesses in the city of Stockton are in a floodplain. They’re at risk of losing their entire business the next time a flood actually hits downtown – 97 percent of all the commercial businesses in that area. This is critical for residents, for businesses, and it’s past time that we actually get it done,” Harder told KCRA 3 News. According to the Army Corps of Engineers, the project is estimated to generate over $300 million in benefits each year, including a potential reduction in National Flood Insurance Program costs for homeowners. (more)