Although considerable progress has been made to improve flood management in the Central Valley, this vast region still faces significant flood risk. Approximately one million Californians live and work in the floodplains of the valley, which contain over $70 billion worth of infrastructure, buildings, homes, and prime agricultural land. A major flood in the Central Valley could have a far greater financial impact on California and the nation than the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina or Superstorm Sandy. Without sufficient and sustained investment in statewide flood management, the risk to life and property will continue to grow.
Central Valley Flood Protection Plan
Updated every five years, the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan (CVFPP) is California's strategic blueprint to improve flood risk management in the Central Valley. It lays out a strategy to prioritize the state's investment in flood management over the next three decades, as well as strategies to promote multi-benefit projects and to integrate and improve ecosystem functions associated with flood risk reduction projects. The CVFPP also incorporates information about systemwide and regional flood management needs, advancements in the best available science, and new policy considerations.
Stakeholder Involvement in the 2017 Update of the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan
Stakeholder participation has been essential to development of the draft 2017 CVFPP Update. Six locally-led regional flood management planning groups provided regional perspectives and proposed local solutions that helped inform the plan, strengthen regional governance, and foster a shared vision for local and regional flood management. Feedback, data, and perspectives have been incorporated into the plan from state, federal and local agencies, non-governmental organizations, agricultural interests, and other interested individuals.
