Over the years, the Pajaro River has had a long and storied history of flooding and flood control projects. Since 1966, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has conducted planning with the City of Watsonville and the Counties of Monterey and Santa Cruz in an effort to provide the communities along the river with adequate flood protection. In the past 40 years, 19 flood risk management alternatives have been explored to control waters of the mainstem Pajaro River from the ocean to Murphy Crossing Road and along Salsipuedes and Corralitos Creeks, which drain into the Pajaro River in the City of Watsonville.
The alternatives considered over the years fall into six main categories:
2015: |
Outreach meetings present 8 focused array of altnernatives, including 4 for the main stem of the Pajaro River and 4 for the tributary areas. |
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2014: |
USACE holds stakeholder meetings and re-initiates Pajaro Flood Protection Project |
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2012: |
GRR Report and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) released for public review |
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2010: |
Draft GRR revised to include Locally Requested Alternatives |
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2009: |
Draft General Reevaluation Report (GRR) with reformulated alternatives completed. Local sponsors cannot support the USACE ring levee alternative. |
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2008: |
Alternative reformulation planning activities (focus on Ring Levees 9D/T3) increase with secured federal and local funding |
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2007: |
Design Agreement executed between USACE and Local Sponsors Non-Federal contributions ($$) to USACE begins |
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2005-2006: |
Local sponsors initiate PED for Bench Excavation |
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2004: |
Local sponsors - select NED as LPP (2A/T4) |
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2003: |
USACE formulates tentatively-recommended NED plan (2A/T4); and presents to stakeholders |
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2002: |
Loose local consensus to support Pajaro River Project Alternative 2A (100' setback) and Corralitas/Salsipuedes Creeks Alternative T4 (Variable 100' setback levee and levee rebuild) |
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2001: |
Congress member Sam Farr's initiation of Public Stakeholder Meeting process begins |
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2000: | USACE completes General Reevaluation Report (GRR) F3 Report: no-project/baseline conditions | |
1999: |
Pajaro River mainstem is combined with Salsipuedes/Corralitos |
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1998: |
February Flood along Pajaro River followed by USACE Emergency levee repairs |
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1997: |
Flooding occurs along Corralitos Creek |
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1996: | Formation of Zone 1A - Monterey County Water Resources Agency to generate additional maintenance revenue for the Pajaro River Project |
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![]() 1995 Pajaro flood and flood victim center |
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1995: |
Major flood event breaches Pajaro River levees; flooding occurs at less than the design capacity |
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1994: |
USACE Reconnaissance Study finds positive benefit/cost ratio for a Salsipuedes/Corralitos levee project |
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1993: |
USACE Emergency levee repairs - Salsipuedes Creek |
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1992: |
Formation of Zone 7 - Santa Cruz County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to generate maintenance and partial local matching funds for the USACE levee reconstruction project |
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1989: |
Magnitude 7.1 Loma Prieta earthquake causes significant levee damage |
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1982-1986: |
Flooding occurs along the Salsipuedes and Corralitos Creeks
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1974-1975: |
Local community declines to support any identified project alternative |
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1966: |
Federal Flood Control Act authorizes new project |
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1963: |
USACE report identifies design deficiency |
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1958: |
April Flood - Pajaro River USACE Emergency levee repairs |
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1956: |
USACE Emergency levee repairs |
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![]() 1955 Flood |
![]() 1955 Sandbagging |
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1955: |
First major flood event to breach levees |
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1949: |
Levee system construction is completed along |
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![]() 1937 flood |
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1936: |
Federal Flood Control Act authorizes flood control |