SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- Representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District, met with Congresswoman Lois Capps, representatives from Santa Barbara County and the mayors of two cities Jan. 9 at the Santa Maria Levee to inform the public of recent developments with the project. 

“We were able to secure $280,000 to authorize the Army Corps of Engineers to study this levee,” Capps said. “The Corps has been very involved [with this project]. We have a great deal of work to do.” 

The key, according to officials at the event, was to highlight the teamwork aspect of the levee project. Cooperation among the Corps, the congresswoman’s office, the county and the cities of Santa Maria and Guadalupe, which is downstream from Santa Maria, is crucial to timely and successful completion of the project, according to officials who were present. Lt. Col. Glen Reed, the chief of the synchronization group for the L.A. District, said the project to help protect residents of Santa Maria and other affected communities was very important to the district. 

Congresswoman Lois Capps greets Lt. Col Glen Reed and shakes hands with Esahn Eshraghi at a Jan. 9 meeting at the Santa Maria Levee. Capps announced $280,000 is available for the project, Eshraghi, as the Los Angeles District’s project manager for the Santa Maria Levee, said the Corps is currently studying ways to repair the protective barrier. 

“This project has received national attention at the headquarters level in the Corps,” he said. 

Reed and Capps both said the money would be used to study ways to improve the level of protection the levee provides to the surrounding community. Esahn Eshraghi, the project manager for the levee project had a simple response when asked by media attending the announcement when work would begin on the study. 

“We began yesterday,” he told them. 

Tom Fayram, Deputy Public Works Director for the Water Resources Division for Santa Barbara County, said he appreciated the district’s participation as a partner in the levee project. 

“This is a team effort,” he said. “We’re really happy with the Los Angeles District with regards to the levee. My hope is that we can expedite the work on the levee.” 

Water flows downstream from the Suey Rd. Crossing in the Santa Maria River Jan. 5 after heavy rains had passed through the area. Officials estimate the water flow at 11,000 cubic feet per second.  

The county maintains the channel and has been involved with two major projects over the last couple of years. The projects created a pilot channel to divert water flow away from the levee. A major cause of damage was water striking the levee at certain angles and eroding portions of the protective wall in the vicinity of homes. The county’s projects successfully diverted the water during heavy rains in early January when the flows reached more than 11,000 cubic feet per second. 

“The county has done a tremendous job out here,” said Reed. “Clearly, you can tell the pilot channel did its job. 

Currently, the district is studying possible plans for repairing the levee. The county paid to have studies done and the Corps is using those plans as a jumping-off point. Several plans are under consideration at the moment so a timeline for completion of the project is currently unavailable. 

Capps said Reed’s personal participation in the announcement of the funding and current studies is invaluable to the communities affected by the levee.

“You coming here in person speaks highly of the importance of the project to the Corps,” Capps said. “It sends a strong message of commitment.”

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