Costa Hosts Assistant Secretary Michael Connor to survey Valley Storm Damage

FRESNO, Calif. – After powerful storms battered California with heavy rainfall and flash flooding, Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) hosted Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael Connor to survey storm damage and water infrastructure projects in the San Joaquin Valley, helping with flood reduction and water conservation.

“It’s important that we take the time to listen to our water managers, check in with emergency operations personnel, and work alongside our local, state, and federal water leaders to fully assess the current flooding crisis and prepare for expected spring flooding,” said Costa. “Today’s visit by the Army Corps provided an opportunity to work on short-term solutions for public safety, while also working to maximize opportunities to use this water for our long-term needs in the Valley, including conserving for our farms and recharging our over-drafted groundwater basins.” 

“I appreciate the opportunity to see first-hand the impacts of record-setting precipitation on the Central Valley.  As we move from the storm to snow-melt season we must work closely with the Department of Water Resources and local partners to manage the risk of flooding, but also assess how we can best manage water to address long-term challenges, like the return of drought.  The changing climate requires working together to find robust, innovative solutions that address a range of water resource issues.” said Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael Connor.

Visiting Incident Command Post in Tulare 
Kicking off the day, Costa and Assistant Secretary Connor visited the Incident Command Post in Tulare, where they met with the emergency response team members who are directing disaster response and crisis management in Tulare County, helping those communities most hard-hit like Orosi, Cutler, and Woodlake. 

Touring Water Projects in the Valley 
On a tour of Lake Kaweah Project Operations in Lemon Cove, Costa, and Assistant Secretary Connor discussed how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is providing flood damage reduction and water conservation amidst the recent storms. The water retained from this reservoir is used for agricultural purposes, delivering water to farmers and farming communities in the southern Central Valley.

Other stops included visiting the Big Dry Creek Dam and Reservoir, which are flood control facilities on Dry Creek in Fresno County. This project is making beneficial use of stormwater runoff and is capable of holding over 30,000-acre feet of water. Costa secured $200,000 in Community Project Funding to study re-operations of the site to fully maximize its groundwater recharge potential. 

Roundtable with Valley Water Leaders 
Costa brought together Valley water leaders for a roundtable discussion with Assistant Secretary Connor to discuss challenges with flooding, and water infrastructure in need of repair. The discussion emphasizes Costa’s efforts in securing federal funding for critical water projects.

See a folder of videos and photos from the visit HERE.