Congressman Dennis Cardoza
18th Congressional District of California

Under the Central Valley Project Act, the federal government is held responsible for constructing a drain for water project users. For a variety of reasons, this ongoing issue has not yet been resolved and has seriously threatened water users on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. Discussions are currently underway between the Bureau and stakeholders to develop a long-term solution. In the interim, this funding would enable the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority to develop a project that would use groundwater pumping to mitigate drainage impacts.

The Stockton East Water District is charged with restoring, protecting and preserving the Northeast Sub-basin of the San Joaquin Valley Groundwater Basin. In addition to the problems created by the continuing average decline in groundwater levels of 1.7 feet per year, this sub-basin is threatened by the continual intrusion of saline waters from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. As groundwater is contaminated with saline, both urban and agricultural supplies are lost and become unrecoverable. By constructing groundwater recharge facilities, Stockton East will begin to address the problems created by the "critically over drafted" condition of the sub-basin. Replenished groundwater will restore groundwater levels and create the hydraulic barrier needed to repel further intrusion of saline waters.

For continued funding of the feasibility study for this project, which is consistent with the level requested by the President. This project is located on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada range in Tuolumne and Stanislaus counties. The study comes as the result of the many damages caused by the January 1997 floods, which resulted in damages estimated at $14 million to areas in and adjacent to the City of Modesto, population 198,600. Continued funding for this project will enable the Corps to investigate the feasibility of identified options for increased flood control protection along the Tuolumne River and its tributaries.

The study area for this project is located in western Stanislaus County, California, including the City of Patterson. This area suffered significant damages to residential, commercial and agricultural properties in repeated flooding. Over the past 50 years, changes to the topography and drainage patterns have occurred with the construction of the Delta Mendota Canal, the California Aqueduct and Interstate 5. The investigation will analyze potential solutions for flood reduction, eco-system restoration and related purposes for Del Puerto and Salado Creeks.

This will reimburse the San Joaquin Area Flood Control Agency for the cost of locally constructed flood control improvements made to the existing levee system along the Bear Creek System and the Calaveras River System. The projects had received prior approval from the Army Corps of Engineers, with the understanding that the Agency would be paid in full once the project moved forward.

This project, which has received federal support and involvement since 1948, has built several flood control facilities in Merced County on the headwaters of the Merced River, a tributary of the San Joaquin River. Though this project is not included in the President’s budget, the Army Corps of Engineers believes that upon completion of design and negotiation of cost sharing agreements for the remainder of the project, the Project Cooperation Agreement could be executed in FY2005. Funding in FY2004 is critical to achieve this goal. This project will provide critical flood protection to residential, agricultural and commercial lands adjacent to the City of Merced.