• DWR Schedules Series of Public Workshops as Levee Repairs Set to Begin -- The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has scheduled six public workshops to discuss emergency levee erosion repair work on the Sacramento River Flood Control System. (05/26/06) more...
• Levee Repair Web Site -- DWR today unveiled a new Web site that will provide up-to-date information on repairs to 29 critical erosion sites in the Sacramento region. (05/25/06) website...
• Flood and Levee Bond -- The state legislature has approved the largest infrastructure package in state history. A $4.09 billion bond to improve flood protection will be on the November 2006 ballot. (05/10/06) more…
• Invitation to Contractors -- The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has scheduled a contractor outreach workshop at 9 a.m. Monday, May 8 to provide an overview of the Emergency Levee Erosion Repair Project and explain the process for applying for construction contracts to prospective contractors. (05/03/06) more…
• State-Federal Agreement on Levee Repairs -- Governor Schwarzenegger and the Bush Administration have finalized an agreement for an expedited permitting process to fix 29 critical levee sites in the Sacramento River basin by November 1, 2006. (05/02/06) Press Release... MOU... Press Conference audio...
• DWR Directs Recent Flood Fight Activities -- California has experienced two major flood events in 2006. This three-minute video shows some DWR activities during the January and April storms to fight floods, protect communities and rebuild damaged portions of the state's levee system. (04/26/06) video...
• Five Levee Sites Added to DWR's Critical Erosion List for Emergency Repair -- Following Governor Schwarzenegger's plan to restore California's failing levees, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) has added five levee sites to its critical erosion list. This brings the total number of emergency repair sites to 29. Work on some sites is expected to begin in June and conclude with repairs to all 29 levees by the end of the year. (04/20/06) Press Release... Overview Map... Critical Sites List... Timeline...
• Delta to Reopen to Boating -- The Department of Boating and Waterways announced that waters of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta will fully reopen to recreational boating at noon on Thursday, April 20th. (04/19/06) more...
• Media Briefing on Flood Fights and Critical Levee Repairs April 20, 2006, 11:30 a.m. in State Capitol Room 1190 -- The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) will provide an update on current conditions in the Central Valley flood control system and recent flood fights on the San Joaquin River. (04/19/06) more...
• San Joaquin County Delta Waterways Still Closed to Recreational Boating -- To protect levees, the Department of Boating and Waterways has extended the closure of recreational boating in San Joaquin County Delta waterways until noon Thursday, April 20. (04/18/06) more...
• DWR Prepares for Storms -- DWR staff are fighting floods and doing emergency advance work along the San Joaquin River. This video, shot on April 9th, shows some of DWR's activities in Fresno and San Joaquin counties to help protect lives and property. (04/11/06) video...
• Joint Operations Center Tour -- Gov. Schwarzenegger toured the DWR Flood Operations Center on Monday. (04/11/06) more...
• Delta Waterways Closed to Recreational Boating -- To protect levees and boaters, the Department of Boating and Waterways has closed the Delta in San Joaquin and Contra Costa counties to recreational boating. (04/11/06) more...
• Flood Officials Prepare for San Joaquin Flood Fight This Weekend -- State and federal flood agencies, working with local reservoir operators and flood officials, have developed an action plan for expected San Joaquin Valley high water conditions this weekend.(04/07/06) more...
• Congressional Hearing on Levees -- Director Lester Snow today testified before a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee in Washington D.C. on efforts to protect the Delta and Respond to Catastrophic Failures in California Water Deliveries. (04/06/06) Press Release... Critical Sites List... Testimony text...
• Flood Conditions Media Briefing -- DWR flood management officials have scheduled a media briefing for 11:00 a.m. today to update Northern California flood conditions. (04/04/06) more...
• DWR Declares Flood Alert -- Department of Water Resources (DWR) flood management officials today declared a Flood Alert. As a result, DWR will increase its watch on river and levee conditions as rain continues this week across much of the state and releases are increased from many reservoirs. (04/03/06) more...
  
  March
  
  
• Levee Erosion Animation -- This animation sequence demonstrates hidden erosion throughout the Sacramento and Delta levee systems. The animation was created as a part of a presentation to visiting Nat'l Homeland Securities Director Michael Chertoff on March 17th. (03/22/06) movie...  screenshot...
• Homeland Security Secretary Tours Levees -- U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff today toured Sacramento area levees with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and DWR Director Lester Snow. (03/17/06) press release...
• Executive Order to Repair Levees -- Governor Schwarzenegger has signed an executive crder directing DWR to repair 24 critical levee erosion sites. (03/09/06) press release...
• New Video on Levee Failures -- A major levee break in the Central Valley or Delta would have devastating consequences, as shown on this new DWR-produced video. (03/08/06) Video (14 mb wmv)
  
  February
  
  
• State of Emergency The Governor has declared a state of emergency for the state's levee system. By declaring this state of emergency, the state can provide additional funding and streamline the process to repair critical erosion sites in the levee system. (02/27/06) Critical Sites List and Map (414 kb PDF), Governor's Office Press Release, Erosion Report (338 kb PDF), Letter to President
• Officials Call for More Levee Funding -- DWR helped organize an aerial tour of Sacramento area and Delta levees for State and federal officials including Governor Schwarzenegger, U.S. Senator Feinstein and local congressional representatives. Video excerpts of their media briefing are of statewide interest. (02/24/06) video photographs
• Resources Agency Cover Letter for Water Plan -- Secretary for Resources Mike Chrisman issued a cover letter for the California Water Plan Update announcing Governor Schwarzenegger's proposed Strategic Growth Plan. The proposal includes two programs drawn directly from the Water Plan. (02/15/06) more...
• Governor's Water Week Events -- Governor Schwarzenegger has a week long series of events and speeches focusing on water issues. Today, he joined DWR Director Lester Snow at the World Ag Expo in Tulare County. (02/15/06) more...
  
  January
  
  
• Legislative Hearings on Strategic Growth Plan -- Director Snow testified today to the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee, and the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee on Governor Schwarzenegger's Strategic Growth Plan. Below are copies of those presentations. (01/31/06) Senate (9.5MB .pdf*), Assembly (4.5MB .pdf*)
• Governor's Strategic Growth Plan -- DWR Director Lester Snow today outlined the flood control and water management elements of Governor Schwarzenegger’s Strategic Growth Plan in two legislative hearings. Below are copies of the presentations to the State Assembly and State Senate. (01/24/06) Senate (2.7MB .pdf*), Assembly (3.6MB .pdf*)
• DWR Closes Sacramento Weir -- The Department of Water Resources completed closing all of the gates at the Sacramento Weir early Tuesday afternoon, January 10, 2006. Twenty of the gates were opened on December 31, 2005 when the Sacramento River reached 27.5 feet at the I Street Bridge, with a rising forecast. Though the river elevation was stabilized at the I Street Bridge, the weir bays can’t be closed until the water level drops below 25 feet at the weir. Closure began mid-morning on January 9, and progressed at about one gate per half-hour. (01/11/06) Photographs: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6
• Water Strategy Press Conference, January 6, 2006 -- On Friday, January 6, with the Nimbus Dam as a backdrop, Governor Schwarzenegger announced his long-term strategy for improving water management in California through a series of bond financing acts. Also on hand were Mike Chrisman, Secretary for Resources, Lester Snow, DWR Director, Stein Buer, Executive Director of the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, Senator Dave Cox, and Assemblyman Roger Niello. Photos by Dale Kolke and Video by Albert Madrid, Public Affairs Office staff. (01/10/06) Press Conference Photographs: #1, #2, #3, Press Conference Video: Governor, Director
• Governor Schwarzenegger Proposes Funds for California Water Issues -- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed the largest investment in flood and water management in state history. The Strategic Growth Plan proposes a $35 billion investment over the next ten years, including $9 billion in bond funds. (01/06/06) more...
• Twitchell Island Flood Fight -- The dramatically graphic video (shot by Albert Madrid and Mark Lambert of the Public Affairs Office Film/Video Unit on Sunday, January 1, 2006) shows overtopping of the Twitchell Island levee system during a period of high water and very strong southwesterly winds in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta. That overtopping forced floodfighters to retreat from the area until conditions calmed enough that working conditions were safe. Approximately 100 residents of the island were evacuated. Despite the severe battering, DWR Emergency Flood Operations personnel (aided by California Conservation Corps crews) were able to shore up problem areas and saved the island from flooding. (01/03/06) Video

Also see 2004 Jones Tract Levee Break news and
2005 Flood News Announcements.