Reclamation District 2140 Reports That Hamilton City Residents Can Take Comfort Going into the Rainy Season With New Levee Project

“The set-back levee is at grade level meaning the back-fill work to form the levee is complete,” states Lee Ann Grigsby-Puente, Board President of Reclamation District 2140 (RD2140). “It’s a key milestone for this project, especially as we head into the rainy season.”

The effort to build the levee started in the late 90s. After years of lobbying and planning, RD2140 was formed to serve as the lead agency to fund the operations and maintenance costs of the new levee, once constructed, as a condition of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE). Since 2006, Hamilton City residents and businesses have supported assessment fees to operate and maintain the new set-back levee.

“The Nature Conservancy is thrilled that, after many years of effort by multiple individuals, the set-back levee portion of the project is complete. We are excited that this project utilizes a reconnected floodplain, set-back levee, and riparian habitat to reduce flood risk to the Hamilton City community,.” states Ryan Luster of the Nature Conservancy. “The riparian restoration component of the project consists of native vegetation that have adapted to surviving flood events and will provide critical habitat for a variety of native species to thrive.”

“The community has fought long and hard for this new set-back levee,” says Grigsby-Puente. “We are proud that we stayed committed to reach this milestone. We thank all those involved in the effort including the Army Corps, Glenn County, the Department of Water Resources, Glen-Colusa Irrigation District, The Nature Conservancy, Congressmen LaMalfa and Garamendi, and especially the community for supporting the assessments needed to keep the levee in proper operating condition for decades to come.”

A dedication ceremony to celebrate this achievement will be held Saturday, December 11, 2021 at 2 p.m. at the Irvine Finch Boat Launch parking area. Speakers will include state and local officials who were instrumental at a congressional level, representatives from USACE, The Nature Conservancy, RD 2140 and other local agencies. The community is encouraged to attend.       

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About Reclamation District 2140
Reclamation District 2140, formed in 2005, is the non-federal sponsor of the new Hamilton City Levee constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). RD 2140 paid a portion of construction costs, and owns, operates and maintains the new levee through assessment fees paid by Hamilton City residents and businesses. The RD 2140 Board of Trustees consists of three members who own property within the RD 2140 boundaries. For more information, visit www.Rd2140.org.