HASI’s Post

I had a chance to tour this project several months ago. I missed this big day, but had to share a wonderful example of a win, win project for the environment and for reducing flood risk in the Sacramento area. All of this done in a fraction of time with an innovative public/private partnership performance model (6 years versus 40 plus years, which sadly is not an outlier for a flood protection/ecosystem restoration project this size and scale). We need more of this. This is climate action. #governmentinnovation #climateaction #buildingmoreresilientlandscapes #floodsafety

It is disappointing to see that this post (and others by the state) about the Lookout Slough project are so misleading. 1. This project is nowhere near "completed". The breach last week opened up one of nine total planned breaches that will occur on the eastern edge of the project. 2. Though Prop. 1 flood funds were used for it, the project does very little to improve flood protection, at most lowering the 100-year flood water surface elevation by 0.5-feet at the northern weir inlet of the project. The remainder of the area will likely see flood benefits of only tenths or hundredths of an inch. It's good this project does not worsen flood protection, but its flood benefits are negligible. I've got no idea why Secty Crowfoot said it will help protect the Sacramento region from flooding. 3. The project lacks effective plans to address proliferation of Harmful algal blooms and aquatic weeds in the new channels, along with regional increases in salinity as a result of increasing the tidal range. If we are going to experiment like this, there should be adequate funding and accountability for proper maintenance and mitigation. 4. This project was opposed by shoreline fisherpeople because it cut off three miles of shoreline fishing previously accessible by foot. Now you will need a boat to reach most of the area. People who want to fish from the shore (low cost recreation) will need to drive a long ways to find alternatives. #Facts #Restoration #Equity #Flooding

Great LA Times piece on the effectiveness of stream and floodplain restoration in addressing various water-related challenges, including flood control, habitat restoration, groundwater recharge, and resilience to climate change. Check out the article to learn more about the potential of restored floodplains and see some of the great work being done by our friends at River Partners, Tuolumne River Trust, American Rivers, and CalTrout

Last week's LA Times piece on the effectiveness of stream and floodplain restoration in addressing various water-related challenges, including flood control, habitat restoration, groundwater recharge, and resilience to climate change. Check out the article to learn more about the potential of restored floodplains and see some of the great work being done by our friends at River Partners, Tuolumne River Trust, American Rivers, and CalTrout

By helping nature heal itself, we can mitigate wildfires, droughts and floods.

#RiverRestoration #FloodplainRestoration #California "Today, an effort to bring back some of those floodplains is flourishing at the 2,100-acre Dos Rios Ranch Preserve near Modesto, where workers years ago planted native trees on retired farm fields and removed berms to create space for water to spread out again. This has allowed the San Joaquin and Tuolumne rivers, which converge in the preserve, to expand and flow into their historic floodplains when big surges of runoff come. By making room for the rivers to overflow, the restoration project has created an outlet for high flows that helps to reduce the risk of dangerous flooding in low-lying communities nearby. “Floodplains are this really important feature of rivers,” said Julie Rentner, president of the nonprofit group River Partners, which has led the restoration effort along with the Tuolumne River Trust. “We can store more water, reduce flood risk, and see wildlife species and habitats coming back to life.” Over the past decade, the cottonwoods and willows that were planted have grown into a forest that teems with wildlife. And last year, when the rivers swelled with massive amounts of runoff from historic storms, the waters flowed among the trees and gradually soaked into the ground. Rentner said the effort, which has been supported by federal, state and local agencies, shows how “engineering with nature” and embracing the natural dynamics of rivers brings an effective water solution, helping California weather deluges and droughts. “When this floodplain floods up, there’s kind of like big gulps that happen,” Rentner said. “All that nuisance water, if we can let it spread out here, it’s going to do lots of good things for years to come.” While many issues in California water management continue to spark heated debate, restoring floodplains is one strategy that enjoys widespread agreement and support. In addition to creating space for floodwaters, it helps slow and disperse flows on the landscape, allowing water to percolate into the ground and recharge depleted aquifers. With climate change bringing more intense droughts and floods, projects that reconnect rivers with floodplains are increasingly seen as a way for the state to better withstand extremes. ... Last year’s state budget included $40 million that will enable River Partners to carry out restoration work on more than 3,000 acres at 16 sites in the San Joaquin Valley. And that’s just the beginning of a series of projects that Rentner and her group have proposed. In the next decade, Rentner said she hopes to complete at least an additional 15,000 acres of restoration projects. Reestablishing more natural floodplains along the San Joaquin, Rentner said, helps reduce risks of flooding in communities downstream such as Stockton, which is widely recognized as vulnerable. ..."

Efforts to restore floodplains are expanding along California’s rivers. How making room for rivers can help ease flood risks and revive ecosystems: https://lnkd.in/dXn_CHAQ

Can beavers be the answer to the UK's growing flood problem? Flooding is becoming increasingly common, and traditional solutions are expensive and disruptive. But what if the answer lies with nature itself? Beavers, once hunted to extinction in the UK, are being reintroduced and offering a cost-effective, natural way to regulate water flow and reduce flood risk. Read our latest post to learn more #beavers #flooding #climatechange #rewilding https://lnkd.in/ezm5hEVM

If you’ve followed us for the past year, you'll have heard that one focus of our programs is floodplain restoration. Healthy, connected floodplains are important for wildlife and for communities, and we feel the consequences when floodplains are disconnected. Learn how floodplains function and why healthy floodplains are an important part of reducing flood damages: https://lnkd.in/gbZijjfR

As this week's storms underscore, #climatechange requires much greater federal investment to protect us from more frequent and intense #floods, especially through nature-based solutions like those highlighted below. But the Governor's deep budget cuts to coastal resilience projects will delay state flood protection and make it more costly, increasing risks to communities throughout California. The legislature and Governor must devote more funding to these solutions, not less.