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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Lois Capps hailed the final passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), H.R. 1495. This important legislation authorizes several important projects, including projects in the City of Santa Barbara, for the Army Corps of Engineers to carry out its mission of flood control, navigation, and ecosystem restoration. Although the Water Resources Development Act is intended to be reauthorized every two years, Congress hasn’t enacted legislation since 2000.
The last WRDA bill from 2000 included an authorization of $18.3 million to address flooding concerns regarding Lower Mission Creek. The Flood Control and Rehabilitation project seeks to reduce flood damage in the Lower Mission Creek area through a combination of channel improvements and bridge replacements. Lower Mission Creek possesses the greatest unresolved flood hazard of any stream in Santa Barbara County. The urban portion of the creek is fully developed, was subject to flooding in 1995, 1998, and 2005, and it continues to have a very high potential for serious damage in the event of future flooding. Since 2000 the cost of the Flood Control and Rehabilitation project has increased. Congresswoman Capps worked with Senator Boxer (D-CA) to increase the authorization for the Lower Mission Creek project to adequately address the additional costs of the project, and they were successful in securing an authorization of $30 million in the 2007 WRDA.
“It’s important that we act now to prevent future flooding of Lower Mission Creek and reduce flood damage to the area if flooding should occur,” said Capps. “The Flood Control and Rehabilitation project for Lower Mission Creek an excellent partnership between the Army Corps of Engineers, Santa Barbara County, and the City of Santa Barbara that will help resolve this potential hazard. I am pleased that by including this authorization in the billCongress has taken an important first step to secure federal support for the project.”
The Senate is expected to pass its version of the WRDA bill later this week, after which the bill will be sent to the President for his approval.
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Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.
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