It's rare to see a project with multiple projected benefits achieve success in every way. The Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee Setback Project is a fantastic example.
This project has been in the works for decades as an effort to increase flood control management, ecosystem restoration, and regional planning.
California is no stranger to flooding, with all 58 counties enduring floods at least once in the last quarter century. It's hard to imagine, given the more recent news that has been extensively focused on wildfires in the Golden State.
In addition to flooding and wildfires, the state is experiencing a significant drop in the salmon population because of human-driven environmental factors.
The latter is a direct result of the former, and both the environment and California residents are reaping the rewards. LEBLS resulted in a floodplain habitat loaded with zooplankton, a key food source for young salmon.
While the improved biodiversity is a huge boon, people also benefit from the food security and economic benefits that a booming salmon population provides. Salmon are a critical resource for commercial and recreational fishing, ultimately contributing to a stable food supply.
The project also aligns with efforts to combat the impacts of climate change, such as altered river flows and habitat degradation caused by human intervention. All of this is the direct result of efforts to divert flood waters from residential areas to a floodplain basin.
It may sound like a complicated project, but all it really does is increase the capacity of the existing bypass system so it can hold more water throughout torrential rain periods. Everything that extends from that effort is a win for local salmon and biodiversity.
Climate change is continuing to drive severe weather events, making projects like this crucially important for state residents. It's also a major theme in the larger Central Valley Flood Protection Plan, a strategic procedure for reducing flood risk in the Central Valley.
LEBLS helps protect the 780,000 residents of Sacramento and the surrounding area. According to 2020 census data, there are 6.5 million people in the Central Valley, making the CVFPP far more extensive than LEBLS. Either way, California has a plan, and the results are positive changes long overdue.
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