WASHINGTON, D.C.
— Facing criticism for building environmentally lifeless flood
protection projects, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers received a
vote of confidence Wednesday from local water officials during a
hearing before a Senate subcommittee.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Facing criticism for building environmentally lifeless flood protection projects, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers received a vote of confidence Wednesday from local water officials during a hearing before a Senate subcommittee.
Santa Clara Valley Water District Director Greg Zlotnick, who testified before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works’ Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, said he believes lessons learned locally working with the Corps can be applied nationally.
“In the past, the Corps has generally proposed straightening out creeks and lining them with concrete, which is pretty much how flood protection projects used to be built,” said Zlotnick. “And we’ve had to say, ‘Wait a minute. Our community values the environment here and this is how we want it to be.’ ”
The result, Zlotnick said, has been construction of flood management projects that not only protect lives and property, but also enhance local streams and create sustainable habitat for wildlife and threatened species of migratory fish.
As an example, Zlotnick pointed to the Guadalupe River Park and Flood Protection Project, which is in its final nine months of construction through the heart of San Jose. The project, when completed by the end of the year, will benefit Santa Clara Valley’s riparian habitat as much as it protects homes, businesses, schools and transportation routes from flooding.
A similar flood control project in the South Valley is at Llagas Creek. However funding for the project has not come down from the Capital.
In addition to lobbying for environmentally friendly ways of implementing flood protection, local water officials also spent time in Washington seeking funding for such projects.
Without a federal contractor like the Corps of Engineers, Zlotnick said, local communities like Santa Clara County would be hard-pressed to fund major capital flood-protection projects.
The Llagas Creek project has been authorized and unfunded since 1954.
“Without the Corps as a partner, the consequence would be further delays and an ongoing absence of needed flood protection for communities like ours,” Zlotnick said.
