Established in 1959, Yuba Water Agency is dedicated to reducing flood risk and safeguarding water supply for Yuba County. Despite significant runoff from a diminishing snowpack, the county demonstrated effective preparedness in managing last winter’s storms, leading to minimal impact on the region.
“After last year’s heavy rain, we fared really well due to coordinated operations with DWR (the California Department of Water Resources) to monitor water levels,” says Ryan McNally, Yuba Water Agency Director of Water Resources and Flood Risk Reduction.
A critical element in reducing flood risk for Yuba County is New Bullards Bar Dam, owned and operated by Yuba Water, which was built in the 1960s as a flood control and water supply dam.
The agency also works in collaboration with regional reclamation districts to ensure area levees are modern and well maintained.
RD 784, established in 1908 under the authority of the Central Valley Flood Protection Board and the Department of Water Resources, is a key partner in the effort to safeguard against natural disasters, specifically in south Yuba County. This partnership encompasses a range of improvement projects to enhance the overall levee system and adhere to federal and state safety standards to maximize flood resistance and ensure public safety.
RD 784 maintains nearly 35 miles of levees, over 60 miles of internal drainage canals, and 10 pumping stations. As part of its efforts to reduce flood risk, RD 784 partners with Yuba Water and the Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority to implement levee improvement projects, which are essential regional protection.
Notable initiatives include the Bear and Feather River setback levees, funded by state and local resources. These projects involved the completion of slurry cutoff walls and stabilizing levee berms, the construction of seepage relief wells, and most importantly, setting the levees back, allowing the river a little more room to flow. Constructing setback levees is crucial in lowering water elevations during flood events, alleviating pressure on the Yuba and Feather River levees, and also creates environmental habitat. Altogether, these projects have brought RD 784’s levees into compliance with state requirements for urban areas and have significantly reduced flood risk for an area that has seen devastating floods in the past..
“Both agencies (Yuba Water and RD 784) take flood control seriously and share a common goal of reducing flood risk,” says Patrick Meagher, Reclamation District 784 General Manager.
Yuba Water is also planning and designing the Atmospheric River Control Spillway at New Bullards Bar Dam, a projected five-year infrastructure project to reduce flood risk even more. This initiative will reduce the risk of flooding in Marysville, as well as for communities along the Feather River and further downstream to the Sacramento River. The ARC Spillway will allow Yuba Water to release water earlier in the reservoir, anticipating increased runoff from large storms. This proactive measure prevents the river system from being overwhelmed by lowering water levels on the levees, reducing the chance of levee seepage, all in an effort to safeguard Yuba County residents.
“Dams, levees, pump stations and internal drainage infrastructure all play a part in reducing flood risk within our communities,” says Meagher.
Yuba Water partners with the Yuba County Office of Emergency Services to monitor current river forecasts and flows. Utilizing emergency alert tools like CodeRED, a free service provided by Yuba County’s Emergency Services Office, enables Yuba Water to make informed decisions during high water events. Residents can register for automated notifications at https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/FBE5B4D6F361. For more information on Yuba Water Agency’s flood and disaster preparedness programs and projects, visit https://www.yubawater.org/.
