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Return to the SAFCA Index page
Jump to Correspondence starting February 2001
INDEX OF THIS PAGE:
click here for correspondence from the Rio Linda Elverta email list
click here for Erwin Hayer's December 5 memo about Magpie Creek relocation (1950s)
click here for Erwin Hayer's December 5 memo about the Robla Creek levee
click here for Erwin Hayer's December 13, 2000 letter to Butch Hodgkins
click here for Erwin Hayer's January 5, 2001 letter to Butch Hodgkins
click here for Erwin Hayer's January 10 flood stage stream data
click here for Erwin Hayer's January 12 project elevations data from reference documents
click here for Erwin Hayer's January 28 letter to The Reclamation Board
click here for Erwin Hayer's January 28 memo about
Hansen Lakes development
OTHER LINKS
Erwin Hayer's correspondence with SAFCA and the
State Reclamation Board: Reference
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] Reminder: SAFCA meeting tonight
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 15:08:20 -0800
From: Jay O'Brien <jayobrien@att.net>
To: Rio Linda Elverta Mailing List <riolinda@vrx.net>
A reminder:
The SAFCA "Community Open House" on the Robla Creek South Levee Improvement Project is tonight, Thursday, November 30, at the RLHS cafeteria from 6 to 8 PM.
I'm not sure if I will be able to be there myself, but I hope several of you will be there to hear what they have to say.
Jay
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RL] Reminder: SAFCA meeting tonight
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 21:08:43 EST
From: RQuack4131@aol.com
To: riolinda@vrx.net
Dear Jay and network,
Thanks for the reminder on the SAFCA meeting. I read about it in the RL News and would like to encourage everyone to go and also make your comments and objections. They will likely use this as a meeting required by the State Reclamation Board to show that they have community support.
Remember, this is the plan that will place a levee all the way across the Ascot Ave area to McClellan. This will funnel water into Rio Linda from the base, as well as trap waters coming from the north in our area. The cumulative effects of the added waters from upstream construction plus the waters from the Magpie Creek Diversion project, plus the waters from the American River coming back up the North East Main Drain Canal, are likely to cause local flooding in Rio Linda.
They were stopped from doing this by a community team. We got the State Reclamation Board to intervene and their resolution states that SAFCA must have the community approval of their mitigation plan before raising the levee at Ascot Ave.
This meeting could be used to show community support if there are no objections presented by you. They may also try to divide our community by offering one or the other group a small plan to protect them. The problem is that any mitigation plan will likely place water on other people.
Our solution was to simply say "NO" to increased levees on Ascot and say no to the Magpie Creek Diversion Project as well. Any increase there will pose a hazard to Rio Linda. Please email me if there are questions. I spent 4 years researching this and we have tons of evidence.
Good Luck...and please go to the meeting.
Aloha,
Chris Q
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] Re: SAFCA "meeting"
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 20:43:23 -0800
From: Jay O'Brien <jayobrien@att.net>
To: riolinda@vrx.net
RQuack4131@aol.com wrote:
>
/snip/
> This meeting could be used to show community support if there are no objections presented by you. They may also try to divide our community by offering one or the other group a small plan to protect them.
/snip/
Chris,
You hit the nail right on the head. The "meeting" tonight was a classic "divide and conquer" "Open House". Like the Air Force's meetings on replacing the RAB, there was no opportunity for communications in a public forum. There were 7 "Stations" set up with placards, plans, drawings, pictures, altered pictures to show the proposed levees (renditions), flood insurance information (!!!), and even a station for Roger Dickinson (Karen was there).
To me, a "community meeting" provides a public forum where the community can hear the community; positions get disseminated and action groups coalesce. This possibility is completely avoided with a setup like they had. There was no opportunity for "the community" to "meet" except in small groups of three or four people.
The coffee was from Rio Java; that was the best part of the "open house".
I told Butch Hodgkins (SAFCA Executive Director) that this was a "divide and conquer" meeting, and he responded that this arrangement is better because it doesn't let one person take over the meeting. He's right about that! And, after all, it was advertised by SAFCA as an "open house", not a "meeting".
Ralph Vandro (RLHS Principal) was there; he and I discussed the meeting and agreed that it would give SAFCA the opportunity to check off still another public meeting without a groundswell of protests. In my opinion, it was a sham; PR fluff only. However, if you look closely at the proposed elevations of the levees, it seems to me that this project isn't being done FOR us; it's being done TO us. The three options (with different ways to "protect" the ski lakes and Bell Aqua apartments) have levee elevations of 42.0, 44.4 and 45.0 feet, east of Rio Linda Blvd.
Karen Ziebron, Supervisor Dickinson's Chief of Staff, asked me what I thought. I told her that it appeared to me that the community was going to be flooded no matter what we did, and I told her I objected to the "divide and conquer" format of the "meeting". She suggested that she would see to a follow-up meeting where the public could hear the public. I hope she follows through.
Apparently tonight's scenario will be repeated on December 13th at Robla School.
I did meet SAFCA's newly hired PIO; she is responsible for their web site. She assured me that it would be brought up to date soon. It's really needed. (http://www.safca.com)
There were several other members of this mailing list at the meeting; I would really like to hear your reactions. Perhaps you got a different impression than I did.
Jay O'Brien
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RL] Reminder: SAFCA meeting tonight
Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 13:56:43 EST
From: RQuack4131@aol.com
To: riolinda@vrx.net
Dear Mary,
I'm sorry I can't be there in person, but I am there electronically. Thank goodness for the internet.
A brief history: The Northeast Main Drain Canal (NEMDC) caused a blockage of the flow of waters to the West. To prevent these blocked waters from flowing south into North Sacramento, the South levee was created. North Natomas was still a 20' deep floodplain ruled undevelopable because it did not have 100 year flood protection. Angelides (current State Treasurer) and Tsakopoulos, a developer, bought huge tracts of the cheap bottom land in North Natomas. Then SAFCA was created controlled by politicians favorable to Angelides and Tsakopoulos. The objective was to develop North Natomas and that WAS DONE. The day after the restrictions were limited, Angelides and Tsakopoulos sold a large tract for huge profits.
In order to raise the flood protection level in North Natomas, they had to raise the NEMDC levee. Rob Kerth represented the people in North Sacramento who were protected by the South Levee. He also sits on the SAFCA Board. He agreed to raise the NEMDC as long as his levee (South levee) was raised equally. The problem is that that would flood the people to the north of that levee, so they built another levee, the North levee, without FEMA approval or other required public review.
While they were building up the South Levee, they sent out a flier to the homeowners at Bell Acqua proposing that each home pay >$6,000 each for a large wall between them and their lakes on the south side of their properties. Upon investigation, we found that the waters that used to flow south into North Natomas, would now be directed to Rio Linda. We fought this for two years and stopped them from harming our community by raising the levees on the south with a State Reclamation Resolution which said that our community must approve a mitigation for their damage to our area prior to them building up the levees.
The Magpie Creek Diversion Project is the final leg to a complete blockade for Sacramento which will back all flood waters up from the Dry Creek Floodway into Rio Linda. It brings all waters from the base into Rio Linda to join the waters increasing from upstream development. Raising and extending the South Levee is necessary before the Magpie Creek Diversion Project can be completed.
To summarize, we have been sacrificed for the development of North Natomas. While it is illegal to take our property without fair remuneration, just ask the people who used to live on Ascot Avenue if they got a fair deal.
Their homes have been taken from them and removed.
I'd be glad to elaborate on any point, but we need to spread the word and unite to protect our community. My land will not be affected, as it is higher than most, but I care about the community around me which will be affected. What affects one, affects us all and we must stick together.
Thanks for your concern. I'd be glad to help in any way I can.
Chris Q
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] Another SAFCA "Open House"
Date: Fri, 01 Dec 2000 21:58:29 -0800
From: Jay O'Brien <jayobrien@att.net>
To: Rio Linda Elverta Mailing List <riolinda@vrx.net>
Here's the scoop on the next SAFCA meeting in our area. It will be on December 13th, from 6PM to 8PM at the Robla School, 5200 Marysville Blvd., in the multi-purpose room.
I understand it will be a duplicate of the meeting I attended at the RLHS cafeteria last evening.
Please try to attend and either confirm or deny my contention that these are "divide and conquer" "public meetings" where the public doesn't have an opportunity to hear the public. In my opinion we are at greater risk of flooding with any of their proposed alternatives.
The Rio Linda/Elverta Community Water District Board received notice of this meeting tonight at a special meeting (held for another purpose). The Board members present all expressed a desire to attend and observe. Please join us! Our community is at stake.
By the way... Remember that the people in the Robla School area are the people in the City of Sacramento who the project will save from flooding. These folks will really benefit from the project. It is a good thing for them.
Jay O'Brien
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RL] Another SAFCA "Open House"
Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2000 13:42:58 EST
From: RQuack4131@aol.com
To: riolinda@vrx.net
Dear Jay on your "by the way",
After much study, I must disagree with your contention that the people of Robla area benefit from the levee work proposed. Ask Alice Harris, a land owner in that area, whether she benefited. Ask the people along the North Levee who were supposed to benefit from that. Both have experienced local flooding while having their lands taken and views obscured by ugly levees, not to mention years of dust, noise and construction debris.
I interviewed homeowners right at the site of the old South Levee who contradicted the theories used to justify the higher New South Levee. We disclosed numerous false assumptions negating the necessity of the levee and showing the area would actually be under greater danger with heightened levees increasing the amount of waters stored and the threat of levee breaks flooding their homes where it did not previously exist. This has been mischaracterized to those citizens as an improvement and they have actually been taxed to create an increased hazard. All this for the development of North Natomas. They should be up in arms against Heather Fargo and Rob Kerth who made the deal to raise the NEMDC so long as they had equal protection regardless of upstream consequences.
Your Friend,
Chris Q
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RL] Another SAFCA "Open House"
Date: Mon, 04 Dec 2000 12:17:30 -0800
From: Jay O'Brien <jayobrien@att.net>
To: riolinda@vrx.net
RQuack4131@aol.com wrote:
>
> Dear Jay on your "by the way",
> After much study, I must disagree with your
contention that the people of Robla area benefit from the levee work
proposed.
/snip/
Hi Chris,
Thanks for the clarification. I really don't feel like I am on top of the SAFCA/levee issue technically, and I know that you really are. What I made was a generalization without appropriate research.
I wish you were here to ride herd on these guys!
Jay
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RL] Another SAFCA "Open House"
Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2000 18:03:05 EST
From: RQuack4131@aol.com
To: riolinda@vrx.net
Dear Jay,
I wish I could be there in person to help you win
this fight, but I can help give you the info to fight this battle.
Don has a series of articles in his archives which I did covering all the
major issues. Erwin Hayer has lots of data which can help you, too.
Mike Phelan probably has the data and was a key man on the team to protect
Rio Linda last time.
To further clarify the South Levee: It lies along Claire Avenue to the intersection of Rio Linda Blvd.. Even in the 1986 flood in which Strawberry Manor was flooded, this levee was not breached and the waters did not go around the area where the levee ends. There was no reason the South Levee should have been moved and raised except for the ultimate goal to create a wall all the way to the Magpie Creek Diversion Project.
I would suggest having a meeting of community leaders to educate them all on the particulars, get a team together and go the the hearings with your message. Write key legislators including Dave Cox and all the others and get them on board with you. Do it NOW, or you will lose this major issue of concern to our community.
Bye now,
Chris Q
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] Fwd: Circle the Wagons
Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2000 14:30:29 EST
From: RQuack4131@aol.com
To: riolinda@vrx.net
Here is an article I just sent off to Don. It is a call to arms
and I hope you will all join in.
Thanks
Chris Q
Subject: Circle the Wagons
Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2000 14:19:23 EST
From: RQuack4131@aol.com
To: RLNEWS@aol.com
SAFCA PLAN CREATES LOCAL DANGER, INCREASES FLOOD RISK
In 1996, our community was alerted to the levees being built along the border between the City of Sacramento and the County area to the North, including Rio Linda. Though we were not properly notified, our discovery showed they had already approved the increase in levee height at the Northeast Main Drain Canal to the West to enable development to occur in North Natomas, a 20' deep floodplain.
*Draw picture of line North/South with water arrows pointing along Dry Creek floodway hitting the line and going North and South.*
Recognizing this increase could increase floodwater everywhere east of this line, they had begun to increase the levee on the south side of the Dry Creek Floodway. This would push waters to the North, in Rio Linda. Therefore, they built the North Levee in 1995 to funnel the waters to the NEMDC. This was done without notification to affected landowners upstream and without approvals required from FEMA.
*draw line N/S for NEMDC and add South Levee and North Levee lines with new arrows pointing upstream from the funnel created*
Homeowners behind the North and South Levees were taxed to create these levees which would have been unnecessary without the increased height of the NEMDC to allow development in North Natomas. They were forced to endure years of construction noise and dust, with many left with permanent damage to their property values. Some then experienced local flooding resulting from the levee. All along 2nd avenue lost their view of the sunset to a 14' high levee. Many had land taken from them.
Parsons Brinkerhoff, an engineering firm contracted by SAFCA to analyze who should be taxed for the levees, produced a report stating that upstream properties in Rio Linda would be damaged by the levees and therefore, should not be taxed. This is a very important point showing they knew all along about the increase in flood risk. They will, no doubt, try to revisit this and push for taxes on the Rio Linda area to fix the problems they, themselves created.
Their goal is to complete a barrier levee all the way from McClellan Air Force Base to the NEMDC along Magpie Creek Diversion Project, immediately impacting hundreds of homes in its path, and ultimately affecting all of the Rio Linda area.
Bringing clear evidence of this problem to the SAFCA Board, the team from Rio Linda was ignored. The SAFCA Board chose to proceed under a "statement of overriding consideration," meaning they knew about the damage but felt their needs were more important.
Our team went all the way to the Governor, FEMA and State Reclamation Board to protect Rio Linda from the admitted damage. The State Rec. Board approval was needed to proceed with construction. In an amazing victory for Rio Linda, they stopped construction on the increase in the South Levee and forced SAFCA to mitigate the area they already damaged and gain approval from the damaged area on any mitigation plan.
This was an important victory, though not complete. SAFCA was also forced to provide flood insurance to homes damaged. Along Ascot Avenue at Dry Creek, they had to purchase 7 homes which they are now removing. This agreement also forced them to provide flood fight assistance to the apartment complex at C and Dry Creek.
The Rio Linda area is now subject to more flood risk from four sources.
Our team concluded that the only successful mitigation would be
not to build up the levees around us. Any local mitigation plans
they devise will simply push water from one neighbor to another.
We must insist on a more carefully reasoned, regional approach which
addresses all four of the flood concerns.
We must stand together as neighbors with a shared goal to fight for our future.
The meetings which are now being held will be used to show community support for SAFCA's plan. They are not discussing or offering the one solution we need. We need to object strongly and together to the plan to use Rio Linda as the dumping ground for floodwaters.
How to object: At each meeting, they are providing comment cards. Please write your concerns on these cards and write letters to your local representatives and SAFCA Board. Attend these meetings and speak up. Join the team we need to protect our homes and businesses in Rio Linda. Ask for open hearings where the public can speak, share ideas and learn.
Former Team Leader,
Chris Quackenbush
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2000 16:34:08 -0800
From: "Erwin Hayer" <eeh625@hotmail.com>
To: RLNEWS@aol.com
CC: riolinda@vrx.net, petersonmi@pwa.co.sacramento.ca.us
MAGPIE CREEK RELOCATION/DIVERSION PROJECT OF THE 1950S .
Magpie Creek was diverted North from just down stream of Raley Boulevard (was 16th Street). It then entered Robla Creek (was Linda Creek) just east of the SNRR Bike Trail (was the Sacramento Northern Railroad (SNRR)) Bridge in the early to middle 1950s. The channel under the bridge was not increased in size to handle the additional storm water.
A levee was constructed on the south side of Robla Creek from the Natomas East Main Drainage Canal (NEMDC) to Claire Ave. and on the south side of Magpie Creeks from the SNRR Bike Trail to just west of Dry Creek Road.
Levees were also constructed on the south side of Magpie creek between Raley Boulevard and Dry Creek Roads where the existing land was low.
A levee and pumping station was also constructed on the East Side of the NEMDC. The City Pump Station # 157, which had a maximum capacity of 770 cubic feet per second (cfs) in 1999 is located at the Interstate 80 Bridge and the NEMDC East Levee.
This project was constructed under the guidance of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. This was to protect an area of Robla and Delpaso Heights. The North boundary is approximately the Robla South Levee, Claire Avenue, SNRR Bike Trail and Magpie Creek South Levee. The East and South boundaries are approximately Raley Boulevard, Main Avenue, Dry Creek Road, Bell Avenue, Rio Linda Boulevard, Grand Avenue, Norwood Avenue (was Sully Avenue), and South Avenue. The West boundary is the NEMDC East Levee.
The Robla Area North of Claire Avenue was unprotected by this system of levees. After this project was completed, the floodwaters in Rio Linda Just north of Ascot Avenue and East of SNRR Bike Trail increased. The Rio Linda Airport Runway, which was completed in 1956 and was constructed above the flood plain at that time, started to flood. It was covered by floodwaters during many storms after Magpie Creek Diversion and in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the south end of the runway was raised 6 feet to about 42 feet MSL for an all weather runway. This created the start of the present Bel Aqua Lakes.
Statements by Mr. Grant Kreinberg, a SAFCA Consultant, in the January 20, 1999 minutes of the Restoration Advisory Board for McClellan AFB meeting on page 87, lines 23 through 26 states: “When this diversion channel was constructed there was a bypass facility put in where water could be released from Magpie Diversion down to start Historic Magpie. It crossed Kelly Moore property. That area has been filled in. No question. That was a city, if you will, that was a city decision or it was allowed to occur through the city of Sacramento.” Then on page 88, lines 6 through 8: “You may be right. I know that right now that diversion structure doesn't go anywhere and that area where it probably used to go is filled in. I totally agree with you. It would be up to the city to take action against Kelly Moore.” As of this day, I have not heard of any action against Kelly Moore. If any other citizen or I did that, we would be in jail or prison.
MAGPIE CREEK DIVERSION INCREASED CAPACITY PROJECT OF THE FUTURE.
The diversion channel is capable of 1100 cfs. Any flows above this will overtop the levee at Kelly Moore and cause a levee failure. This was brought to my attention by Paul Deveraux, of SAFCA, who gave me the copies of the current Magpie Creek final documents in June 1998, which were dated April 1996 and August 1997.
No property owners North of Ascot Avenue (was A Street) in Rio Linda were notified of the proposed project. The documents states ”However, flows in excess of 1100 cfs are assumed to over top the existing levee, causing the levee to breech, and then discharge into Old Magpie Creek toward the City of Sacramento Pump Station 157 at the NEMDC.
Existing condition peak flows are listed in Table 2.” Table 2 states 2300 cfs at Raley Boulevard for a 50-year storm, 1200 cfs more than the channel can handle and 2785 cfs for a 200-year or 1685 cfs more the channel capacity.
If the project is not completed, a potential addition of 2000 cfs plus flow to pump station 157, capacity 770 cfs, exists. Needless to say, this would cause extensive flooding in the Robla and Delpaso Heights area, including the closure of Interstate 80 East of the NEMDC.
Current conditions give Magpie and Robla Creeks a combined flow of 2240 cfs for a 200-year storm. If the project is completed, the combined flows for a 200-year storm would be 4070 cfs or nearly double. This would cause extensive flooding in the Rio Linda area.
The documents also state all parcel property owners within 500 feet of the new project were notified. I have a list of 9 parcels within 500 feet, some within 100 feet that the owners were not notified. This list was included in a letter to Mr. Arturo Ceballous of the United States Army Corps of Engineers on February 2 1999. Courtesy copies were sent to Mr. Rob Kerth of the Sacramento City Council and Mr. Charles Yarbrough of the RAB at McClellan AFB. In this letter, I asked 5 Questions and received no answers to the questions. I was sent a list of the property owners of parcels with the City Limits of Sacramento who were notified and no property owners of parcels outside the City Limits of Sacramento were on the list.
CURRENT CONDITIONS
SAFCA is now the lead agency and it looks like they will ignore the residents of Rio Linda as they have done in the past continue with the plans to flood us.
Erwin Hayer
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] SAFCA Robla Meeting
Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2000 16:40:20 -0800
From: "Erwin Hayer" <eeh625@hotmail.com>
To: RLNEWS@aol.com
CC: riolinda@vrx.net, petersonmi@pwa.co.sacramento.ca.us
ROBLA CREEK LEVEE
The flood water elevation at Elkhorn Boulevard between Dry Creek Road and the East or South channel of Dry Creek was above 49.6 feet MSL during a major flood in 1995 at around 2:00 to 3:00 AM. I was at this location before sunup and the level had been receding for over 2 hours.
Sacramento County ALERT System lists the record at this location as 48.7 feet MSL on February 11 1986. They did not have a sensor at this location until the winter of 1998.
The elevation of Elkhorn Boulevard at the crosswalk to the Rio Linda High School Stadium Parking lot is 48.4 feet MSL. This elevation was not changed during the present construction except by the addition of a center divider. This divider does not cross the crosswalk and that is the lowest point for floodwaters to cross. The water exceeded 1 foot in depth at the crosswalk.
The just completed construction project of Elkhorn Boulevard will not lower the floodwaters at this location. The project was not to change the elevations of floodwater above or below Elkhorn Boulevard. The Tenth Street crown gutter elevation just north of G Street is 49.13 feet MSL which is almost 6 inches lower than the floodwater elevation at Elkhorn Boulevard, 1300 feet to the north.
If we have a 100–year flood on Dry Creek, with all the construction in Placer county eliminating Vernal Pools and other Pounding Areas, the elevation will exceed the gutter elevations on Tenth Street. If a levee is put around the south side of the Western Acres Subdivision, Bell Aqua Apartments/Lakes and the Rio Linda Airport, the levee will act as a bathtub and fill up with water to an elevation which would be greater than the levee elevation of 45.8 feet MSL.
The current elevation of the crown at the intersection of Tenth and E Streets is 42.7 feet MSL. The floodwater at this location would exceed 3.0 feet in depth and all the homes on Ski Park Court, Hayer Circle, and other locations in Western Acres would be flooded.
The Rio Linda Airport Runway crown elevation is about 42.0 feet MSL from E Street South. It would have over 3 feet of water on the runway. Bel Aqua Lakes have a levee of between 42 and 43 feet MSL and tops of these levees could be more than 2 feet under floodwater.
Erwin Hayer
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RL] SAFCA Robla Meeting
Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2000 21:32:02 PST
From: RQuack4131@aol.com
To: riolinda@vrx.net
Hi again Erwin. I read your second letter about flood levels. Do you have any plan that we can propose to SAFCA? I had concluded that the only thing that would help us is NOT to build any levees. In fact I had suggested they lower the one they have at Ascot and Dry Creek to Rio Linda Blvd. What do you think?
Do you have any ideas about how to prevent them from going forward with
their plan?
Chris Q
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RL] SAFCA Robla Meeting
Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2000 21:56:14 -0800
From: "Erwin Hayer" <eeh625@hotmail.com>
To: riolinda@vrx.net
Chris
I do not have any plan and I do not think SAFCA will listen to any
plans from the Rio Linda community. I agree that no levees or lowering
the Robla Creek South Levee and not increasing the capacity of Magpie Creek
is the best for Rio Linda.
If SAFCA continues with raising the levees and also starts raising the levees on the American River, it will cause the floodwater to get deeper in Rio Linda.
From the past experiences with SAFCA, I believe they will do what they want. We have slowed them down, but they are still trying to raise that levee.
All the homes on Dry Creek Road and Ascot Ave that the current levee elevations would have flooded have been purchased by SAFCA and removed.
I do not have any answers but will continue with the fight to protect Rio Linda.
Erwin Hayer
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
(more Rio Linda Elverta mailing list messages follow the letters
below)
DATE: December 13, 2000
TO: F.I. (Butch) Hodgkins
Executive Director
Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA)
1007 7th Street, 5th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Mr. Hodgkins
My Letter to you dated February 12, 1998 in response to the “Notice of preparation and Initial Study Robla Creek Stage 3 Levee Improvements and Lower Dry Creek Watershed Mitigation Project, January 1998.” was published in Chapter 9, Appendices B was never answered by SAFCA. I questioned Paul Devereux, Director of Engineering at SAFCA, he said the City of Sacramento had to put in any pumps at Drain Culvert N-1 of the North Levee and S-10 of the south Levee. Also page 2 of subject letter was not published. I asked Paul why it was left out and he said that flooding in Western Acres was a county problem. I then faxed a copy of subject letter to Mike Peterson of Sacramento County Drainage.
Drain Culvert N-1 is located in the North Levee, South of Ascot Avenue and West of West 2ND Street, which is in the City. Temporary Pumps have been installed at this location many times since the North Levee was constructed. Without the pumps, many homes would have flooded North of Ascot Avenue, near West 2nd, which is in Sacramento County. SAFCA and the City of Sacramento do not plan on permanent pumps at this location and the county property owners must depend on the City or SAFCA to install and operate the temporary pumps to prevent flooding of County property owner Homes.
Drain Culvert S-10 is located in the South Levee just East of Rio Linda Boulevard, which is also in the City. Pumps have been installed at this location to prevent homes from flooding which are in Robla, which is part of the City.
Paul Devereux has stated to me many times that the storm waters of Dry Creek and the storm waters of Magpie and Robla Creeks would not arrive at the same time. Also, he said storm water in the creeks would lower to allow the flap valves to open and drain the local storm water between storms, before any local flooding occurred.
SO FAR THE STORM WATER HAS KEPT THE FLAP VALVES CLOSED AND PUMPS HAD TO MOVE LOCAL STORM WATER OVER THE LEVEE AT BOTH N-1 AND S-10 DRAIN CULVERTS TO PREVENT LOCAL FLOODING.
IS THIS A DREAM OF SAFCA AND SAFCA CONSULTANTS THAT THE CREEKS WILL BE LOW WHEN WE HAVE LOCAL RAIN?
In this same letter, I brought out the fact that Dry Creek Road has been flooded between Magpie Creek Diversion and Ascot Avenue. The storm water was flowing north from Magpie Creek, City of Sacramento, from both upstream and downstream sides of the bridge, then heading north into the Rio Linda area of Sacramento County. The storm water was more than 6 inches deep on Dry Creek Road. Floodwater at this location has exceeded 43.5 feet MSL at this location. The FSEIR does not address this problem.
SAFCA DID NOT BELIEVE ME AND HAD ONE OF THEIR CONSULTANTS, JACK BUCKLY, TRY TO GET ME TO SAY I WAS WRONG. I HAVE DRIVEN THROUGH WATER AT THIS LOCATION MORE THAN ONCE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN IGNORED BY SAFCA AND SAFCA CONSULTANTS.
THE 500 YEAR STORM WATERS AS SHOWN ON THE MAP ON DISPLAY AT RIO LINDA HIGH SCHOOL ON NOVEMBER 30, 2000 IS SHOWN LOWER THAN THE STORM WATERS WERE IN 1986, 1995, AND 1997. SAFCA AND SAFCA CONSULTANTS ARE PUTTING OUT ERRONEOUS INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC AT THESE MEETINGS OR HAVE WE HAD A STORM OF GREATER THAN 500 YEARS ALREADY? THE FEMA FLOOD MAPS FOR A 100-YEAR FLOOD EXCEED THE SAFCA 500-YEAR FLOOD.
DO SAFCA AND SAFCA CONSULTANTS IGNORE FEMA FLOOD MAPS?
HISTORY OF PROBLEMS
It started with the Magpie Creek Diversion Channel so the City of Sacramento could have developers develop the flood plain of Magpie creek. Then the City of Sacramento started allowing development of South Natomas, then North Natomas. There was supposed to be a penalty to the Regional Water Sanitation Treatment Department if the City allowed development north of Interstate 80. I have not heard of any penalties.
All development was stopped by the federal government because of the high risk of 100-year flooding in South and North Natomas. This caused SAFCA to raise the levees on the NEMDC and the lower Robla and Dry Creek channels for additional protection of North and South Natomas. When this levee raising was completed and certified, WOW, did the developers have a party and development is now in high gear.
The Sacramento County development of Antelope has added to the flood problems in Rio Linda and I can not find any action by Sacramento County to minimize/slow down the runoff from the Antelope developments.
Also the Cites of Roseville, Rocklin, Loomis and Placer County have approved developments that do not take into consideration that these developments are adding to the flood problems downstream. They have not done anything to minimize/slow down the runoff from these developments. In fact, the streams are being cleaned and widened to allow the storm water to move faster and arrive in Rio Linda sooner.
All of these developments have eliminated small ponding areas and vernal pools, which used to hold some of the rainwater. Roofs, streets and parking lots have been constructed in their place and then storm drains route the rainwater into the Creeks with no ponding areas.
Now the rainwater is sent into Rio Linda faster from upstream and the Levees are being raised downstream for the protection of new developments within the City of Sacramento.
The only flood protection that has been constructed in Rio Linda is the NEMDC Pump Station, which protects only an area near the NEMDC and may not handle a major storm.
So far, the property along Dry Creek and Robla Creek from the northern City Limits of Sacramento to the Northern Sacramento County Line has not had any flood protection constructed, except for the flood fight improvements at Bell Acqua Apartments.
Request some sort of action be taken for the true protection of the homes in the Dry Creek and Robla Creek area that are being placed in harms way by the developments upstream and downstream. This includes the homes near Ascot Avenue and West Second Streets, drain culvert N-1. Also the homes within the City of Sacramento on Rose Avenue and Rio Linda Boulevard, which are just south of Robla Creek, drain culvert S-10.
(signed)
Erwin Hayer
Concerned Citizen
950 G Street
Rio Linda, CA 95673
DATE: January 5, 2001
TO: F.I. (Butch) Hodgkins
Executive Director
Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA)
1007 7th Street, 5th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Mr. Hodgkins
The 500-year storm waters as shown on the map on display at Rio Linda High School on November 30, 2000 and Robla School on December 13, 2000 is shown lower than the storm waters were in 1986, 1995, and 1997 and the FEMA 100 year flood map. IS THIS TO MISSLEAD THE PUBLIC?
The storm water elevation at Dry Creek East Channel and Elkhorn Boulevard had exceeded 49+ feet in January 1995. Sacramento County lists the record as 48.7 feet on 11 and 20 February 1986.
Sacramento County lists the following records upstream of Dry Creek East Channel and Elkhorn Boulevard:
1. Linda Creek @ Indian Creek Drive, Sensor A25-297 as 183.0 feet on
January 10, 1995, and 3.0 feet above flood stage..
2. Dry Creek @ Vernon Street, Sensor R03-1603 as 132.2 feet on January
10, 1995, and 5.2 feet above flood stage..
3. Dry Creek East @ Dry Creek Road, no sensor as 52.4 feet on January
10, 1995. Only 0.4 miles upstream of Elkhorn Boulevard.
Sacramento County lists the following records on Arcade Stream Group.
1. Arcade Creek @ Winding Way, Sensor A01-298 as 78.5 feet on January
10, 1995, and 5.0 feet above flood stage..
2. Arcade Creek @ Watt Avenue, Sensor A36-1747 as 63.8 feet on January
10, 1995, and 2.8 feet above flood stage.
The floodwaters on the Dry Creek and Arcade Creek Watersheds had record stages upstream (northeast) and south of Rio Linda on January 10, 1995. Robla Creek and Magpie Creek are in-between Dry Creek and Arcade Creek, but I can not find any data on records on these streams. All four of these creeks cause high water in the lower Rio Linda area and records were established on January 10, 1995 on the northern and southern watersheds.
Bert Andrews had lived at 6620 Cherry Land from 1954 to 1998. His home had floodwater in 1986. He has told me that the floodwater was at least one foot deeper in his home in 1995 than it was in 1986.
Joe Leonhart had lived at 6520 Cherry Lane during 1986 and 1995 floods. He did not measure the 1995 flood, but stated if was more than 1986.
The telephone pole that floated onto Elkhorn Boulevard in January of 1995, just east of the East Dry Creek Channel Bridge, at a location of about 49.5 feet indicates the floodwater was above 49.5 feet at that location, not 48.7 feet as stated in Sacramento County Records. The sensor at Dry Creek East Channel was installed after the floods of 1997.
ALL INDICATIONS ARE THE FLOODWATER WAS HIGHER AT ELKHORN BOULEVARD ON JANUARY 10, 1995 THAN THE SAFCA 500 YEAR FLOOD MAP. WHY IS THE SAFCA 500-YEAR FLOODMAP SHOWING LOWER FLOODWATER LEVELS THAN THE FEMA 100-YEAR FLOODMAP AT THE RIO LINDA JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS AT TENTH AND G STREETS?
I believe the water models used by SAFCA Consultants are flawed and the FEMA flood maps are correct.
SAFCA and SAFCA Consultants need to check with the FEMA Flood Map section and get the local water models corrected to match the FEMA water models which are apparently more accurate.
If the Robla Creek South Levee is raised and Magpie Creek enlarged to allow more than twice the floodwater to enter the Rio Linda area and the American River Levees are raised as SAFCA is wanting to do, Rio Linda is in for major flooding.
(signed)
Erwin Hayer
950 G Street
Rio Linda, CA 95673
Hi Erwin,
I just read your letter. It has great information
in it, but perhaps you should include your objection to the raising of
the levee and Magpie Creek project. Your letter only sites differences
in the data, but does not propose that they abandon their plan to flood
us.
I think someone should write a letter objecting to the method of holding public hearings without public discussion forums in addition to suggesting their EIR (do they have a new one?) is flawed. Coming from me, this may not be as effective as a new team. Did anyone call Karen Diepenbrock about helping us?
Now is the time to band together or risk certain damage to our lands and homes.
Your friend in exhile,
Chris Q
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RL] SAFCA to meet with CPAC Tuesday night
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 12:35:56 EST
From: RQuack4131@aol.com
To: riolinda@vrx.net
Another angle on SAFCA's projects:
The goal is to create a wall along the City/County line by joining the Magpie Creek Diversion Project with the South Levee at Ascot and Dry Creek. This will affect broad areas...all of Rio Linda and Elverta. All the flood waters will stay in our neighborhoods.
We can prevent this by joining together to stop them from raising the South Levee NOW. If it is not raised, they cannot join the Magpie Creek project with it. This is their weak link and the State Reclamation Board issued a Resolution supporting us when we fought it last time. Go back to this resolution and use it. It required SAFCA to get our approval before raising the levee. The meetings they are holding now are aimed at showing community approval. Write your objections to this plan. Do a petition to show neighborhood agreement in opposition to their plan.
Jay...can you lead this important fight? Someone needs to step forward and make the calls to organize and plan. If not you, can you find someone who will do this?
Good Luck!
Chris Q
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RL] SAFCA to meet with CPAC Tuesday night
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2001 18:18:22 -0800
From: Jay O'Brien <jayobrien@att.net>
To: riolinda@vrx.net
RQuack4131@aol.com wrote:
/snip/
Jay...can you lead this important fight? Someone needs to step forward and make the calls to organize and plan. If not you, can you find someone who will do this?
Chris,
I will be very happy to help document and publicize the effort, through web pages and assisting with documents. However, unfortunately my plate is just too full right now (I was elected to Chair the Sacramento Metropolitan Water Authority and we are interviewing Executive Director candidates, etc..) to take on such a project. I believe that Ray and Erwin are the right people to lead this effort, and I'll help them however I can.
Jay
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] Sacramento Bee: "Who'll stop the big flood"
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 21:46:27 -0500 (EST)
From: Chris Quackenbush <rquack4131@aol.com>
To: Rio Linda friends <riolinda@vrx.net>
Sacramento Bee: "Who'll stop the big flood" (February 11, 1999 roundtable)
http://www.sacbee.com/voices/news/flood_round_table.html
Chris Quackenbush
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] Check out sacbee / Building on the Edge
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 22:09:50 EST
From: RQuack4131@aol.com
To: riolinda@vrx.net
sacbee / Building on the Edge: http://www.sacbee.com/news/projects/levee/index.html
With SAFCA now moving on building up the South Levee in Rio Linda to complete the Magpie Creek Diversion Project, I thought I would forward you some historical articles the Bee produced.
Please help us to avoid more future trouble by opposing the raising of the levee. The wall they are building along the city/county line will hold flood waters IN the Rio Linda area, increasing our danger. Politicians have allowed building in floodplains and now wish to protect them by flooding our community. There are other solutions, but the politicians will to seek them must come from the people's insistence on solving the real problem, not pushing water from one community to another.
The law forbids the taking of our homes and land without fair compensation. For the last several years, SAFCA has been forced to provide hundreds of home owners flood insurance because they have already caused damage by building levees. These levees were constructed to allow construction of North Natomas, in a 20' deep floodplain.
Let's stand together now and prevent more bandages on our festering wound of flood danger. Ask for a real solution and say "NO" to flooding Rio LInda.
Chris Quackenbush
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
Click here for pictures and information
about the January 9, 2000 SAFCA presentation at the Rio Linda Elverta CPAC
meeting. Click the BACK button on your browser
to return here after reading.
--------
Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] Floodwater Elevations and Records
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 16:32:13 -0800
From: "Erwin Hayer" <eeh625@hotmail.com>
To: riolinda@vrx.net
To RL Net Subscribers
Information on Linda Creek, Dry Creek, Robla Creek, Magpie Creek and Arcade Creek Watersheds.
The following Data has been gleaned from California Data Exchange Center (CDEC), Sacramento County ALERT System and Sacramento County Water Resources.
FW = Flood Water, FS = Flood Stage
Creek
Sensor Location
Elev Above Date
FW FS
Linda Creek A25-297 Indian
Creek Dr 183.0 3.0 1/10/95
Dry Creek R03-1603
Vernon Street 132.2 5.2 1/10/95
Dry Creek East none Dry
Creek Road 52.4 unk 1/10/95
Dry Creek West none Curved
Bridge Rd 52.4 unk 1/10/95
Arcade Creek A01-298 Winding
Way 78.5 5.0
1/10/95
Arcade Creek A36-1747 Watt Avenue
63.8 2.8 1/10/95
The only records for any other time are as follows:
Dry Creek East none Elkhorn
Blvd 48.7 1.2 2/11/86
Dry Creek East none Elkhorn
Blvd 48.7 1.2 2/20/86
Dry Creek Bypass A13-1662 Elkhorn Blvd
45.9 0.9 2/11/86
Dry Creek Bypass A13-1662 Elkhorn Blvd
45.9 0.9 2/20/86
Dry Creek Bypass A13-1662 Elkhorn Blvd
46.0 1.0 ?
Dry Creek Bypass A13-1662 Elkhorn Blvd
48.7 3.7 ?
Arcade Creek A01-298 Winding
Way 78.2 4.7
2/19/86
American River HST-1 H Street
43.4 0.6 2/19/86
Sacramento River IST-1 Eye Street
30.68 -0.32 2/19/86
Dry Creek at Vernon St, VRS-1, about 10 miles upstream of Elkhorn Blvd, rose above 119.0’ on 1/1/97 at 6:14 PM. It dropped below 119.0’ on 1/2/97 at 1:16 AM. It crested at 119.2’. Flood Stage is 127’. 7.8 feet below flood stage.
The January 1995 floods were worse than January 1997 or February 1986 in the Rio Linda Area. I was unable to find any data on the floods of December 1955 thru January 1956.
SAFCA Web page talks about floods of 1986 and 1997 but does not mention the floods of 1995. http://www.safca.org/
Sac Bee has a lot of data on the floods of 1997. http://www.sacbee.com/news/projects/levee/index.html
VRS-1 CDEC Sensor on Dry Creek at Vernon Street in Roseville, CA
DATE
Water Elevation
01/01/1997 119.20 feet, crest, 7.8 feet
below Flood Stage.
01/10/1995 132.20 feet, crest, 5.2 feet
above Flood Stage.
The crest was 13 feet lower in 1997 than the record in 1995. RIO LINDA had deeper floodwater in 1995, yet all government agencies seem to indicate that 1986 and 1997 were worse.
Erwin Hayer
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RL] SAFCA: CPAC Meeting 1/9/01
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 03:36:16 EST
From: RQuack4131@aol.com
To: riolinda@vrx.net
Did a petition of names get presented to Butch or SAFCA? Butch was there when we questioned the toxicity of Magpie Creek on several occassions. His veracity is most certainly questionable.
Parsons Brinkerhoff did a study paid for by SAFCA to determine who should be taxed for the levees they were building. They concluded we, in Rio Linda, would be damaged by their efforts and therefore should not be included in the assessment districts. This will come up repeatedly as they need more money. First they flood us. Then they charge us to fix their problem. Knowledge is key and we must remind them of their own work to prevent more Rio Linda rip offs.
They must be stopped at the South Levee. They must complete that in order to do the Magpie Creek Diversion Project. That will complete the wall from McClellan to the NEMDC and force all flood waters to Rio Linda and Elverta. I hope all of you will write letters to SAFCA to voice your opposition to their plan. They must answer these objections and it will be difficult for them to say they have community approval as required by the State Reclamation Board Resolution we fought so hard to get.
Keep fighting!
Chris Q
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
--------
Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] Info on Magpie-Robla-Dry Creeks
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 14:00:45 -0800
From: "Erwin Hayer" <eeh625@hotmail.com>
To: riolinda@vrx.net
Hello again,
Lower Dry Creek and Robla Creek Levee Improvements Mitigation Project
Documents to reference:
North Natomas Comprehensive Drainage Plan DEIR, Dec 1996 (NNCDPDEIR).
SAFCA Topographic Survey Map, 12/31/96 (SAFCA TSM).
Project Plans, Robla Creek South Levee Phase 2 Project, Approved Mar 20,1997, Resolution 97-030, (PP-Phase2).
Magpie Creek Final Environmental Impact Statement/Report, April 1996 andSupplement, August 1997 (MCFEIR).
Draft Subsequent Environmental Impact Report, April 1998 (DSEIR).
Supplement Draft Subsequent Environmental Impact Report, May 1998 (SDSEIR).
Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report, August 1998 (FSEIR).
NATOMAS EAST MAIN DRAINAGE CANAL (NEMDC) LEVEES.
The levees along the NEMDC are being improved by the US Army Corps
of Engineers (USACOE) as part of the Sacramento Area Flood Control Project
to provide over 400-year protection (USACOE 1997). Ref. NNCDPDEIR, page
4-16.
Nothing is mentioned in the NNCDPDEIR about upstream increased flooding risks on Dry Creek, Robla Creek or Magpie Creek by raising the NEMDC levees. Increased Pumping capacity into the NEMDC from Reclamation District 1000 (RD 1000) pumps is considered less than significant. Ref. NNCDPDEIR, page 4-15 and 4-16.
DRY CREEK AND ROBLA CREEK LEVEES.
The floodway width near Rio Linda Boulevard was reduced from approximately
2700 feet to 1900 feet during the construction during 1998. The east
end of the Robla Creek South Levee used to end about 1300 feet west of
Rio Linda Boulevard just north of Claire Avenue in the City of Sacramento.
About 1500 feet of this levee, called the Claire Avenue Levee in the PP-Phase2,
sheets 47 and 48, was abandoned or moved north. This movement north
caused the reduction in width of the floodway by about 800 feet.
The movement of this levee north has caused a rise in the floodwater up stream of this choke point, during a 100 year storm, by the following amount: Ref FSEIR, Table 4-1 on page 4-2.
Pre-Project Claire Ave
Existing Difference
Water Elev Alignment
Alignment
Robla Creek at:
Rio Linda Blvd 40.1 feet
41.1 +1.0 41.5 +1.4
+0.4
SNRR Bike Trail 40.8 feet
41.5 +0.7 42.0 +1.2
+0.5
Dry Creek South or East Branch at:
Rio Linda Blvd 41.4 feet
41.7 +0.3 42.0 +0.6
+0.3
SNRR Bike Trail 43.1 feet
43.3 +0.2 43.4 +0.3
+0.1
G Street
46.7 feet 0.0
0.0
0.0
Dry Creek North or West Branch at:
Rio Linda Blvd 41.9 feet
42.1 +0.2 42.3 +0.4
+0.2
G Street
44.6 feet 0.0
0.0
0.0
The east end of Claire Avenue Levee was at elevation of about 41.8 feet pre-project, then was raised to 42.8 during Phase One Construction. Just east of the east end for a short distance, the elevation of the road dropped down to less than 40.0 feet elevation for 280feet along Claire Ave. The east end is about 1200 feet down stream of Rio Linda Blvd. I do not understand the difference of pre-project and Claire Ave Alignment figures as the Claire Ave Levee was at 41.8 feet prior to 1960 and SAFCA was not a twinkle in anyone’s eye until about 20 years later. This levee was lowered to 37.0 feet during construction of the more northern south levee in 1998.
Table 4.1-2 of the DSEIR, shows the Robla Creek downstream of Rio Linda Blvd pre-project water surface elevation as 38.9 feet. It then showed existing conditions as 40.7 after the Claire Ave levee was raised to 42.8 feet during phase 1 construction. This figure, 40.7 feet, not 38.9 feet, was used in the FDEIR, page 4-4. The top of levee/roadway low point is listed as 39.8 feet at Claire Ave in the FDEIR, page 4-4. This is 0.9 feet above the 100-year water level down stream of Rio Linda Blvd, which is over 1000 feet up stream of the low point of 39.8 feet. WHY DID THE LEVEE HAVE TO MOVE NORTH AND CREATE A CHOKE-POINT? I can not answer this question and SAFCA has not answered it except John Bassett of SAFCA said it was to protect some vernal pools and wetlands east of Rio Linda Blvd which were later destroyed by the property owner.
Notice the Water Levels at Rio Linda Blvd, which is about 90 degrees to the flow of water, 40.1, 41.4 and 41.9 pre-project, then 41.5, 42.0 and 42.3. The distance between these points is about 2200 feet and between 0 and 1400 feet upstream of the 800 foot choke-point.
The lowest point of Rio Linda Blvd on the SAFCA TSM is 38.4 near Robla Creek which is the farthest down stream point of Rio Linda Blvd and at the south levee choke-point. The 100-year pre-project was 40.1 or 1.7 feet above the roadway. Existing condition is 41.5 or 3.1 feet above the roadway, an increase of 1.4 feet.
The lowest point between the Dry Creek streams on Rio Linda Blvd is 41.4. The 100-year pre-project was 41.9 or 0.5 feet above the roadway. Existing condition is 42.3 or 0.9 feet above the roadway, an increase of 0.4 feet. This location is about 800 feet upstream of the north levee choke-point.
The lowest point on Rio Linda Blvd north of the north stream of Dry Creek is 40.9 feet this is the furthermost upstream part of Rio Linda Blvd.. The 100-year pre-project was 41.9 or 1.0 feet above the roadway. Existing condition is 42.3 or 1.5 feet above the roadway, an increase of 0.5 feet. This location is about 1400 feet upstream of the north levee choke-point
MAGPIE CREEK DIVERSION CHANNEL (MCDC) PROJECT LEVEES.
The proposed MCDC Project is to widen the base of the channel from
10 or 15 feet to 50 feet and raise levees on the left bank or south side.
This project will give the historical Magpie Creek floodplain 500-year
protection. Ref. MCFEIR, pages F-7 through F-11,
MCDC flows for 100/200/500-year floods above Robla Creek is 1100 CFS. Any amount above that will cause the left or south levee to fail.
Pre project flows in Cubic Feet /Second, CFS:
Location
100-year 200-year 500-year
Robla Creek above MCDC confluence
1445 1595
1775
MCDC above Robla Creek confluence
1100 1100
1100
Combined
2545 2695
2875
Post project flows in Cubic Feet /Second, CFS:
Robla Creek above MCDC confluence
1445 1595
1775
MCDC above Robla Creek confluence
2820 3050
3320
Combined
4265 4645
5095
Ref. HEC-2 Analysis for Robla Creek Mitigation, Table 1, computed by COE and provided by Murry, Burns and Kienlen (MBK)
Combined flow increase 1720 1950 2220
The increased flows are most alarming as no changes are planned for downstream of the confluence of the two streams.
SUMMARY.
With all the development (Roofs, streets, parking lots and storm drains)
upstream which causes more water to arrive faster in the Rio Linda area,
and all the levees being raised down stream to protect historical floodplains
for development, Rio Linda is being sacrificed for development. If
SAFCA and The City of Sacramento have their way and are able to raise the
American River levees and enlarge the ports on Folsom Dam, the water will
get deeper in Rio Linda.
The Rio Linda and Elverta Community’s must stand together to fight the planned increased flooding of Rio Linda and possible increased flooding in Elverta.
Thanks for your time in reading this and if you have any questions please contact me.
Erwin Hayer, E-mail: eeh625@hotmail.com Phone: 991-5940
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
------- Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] SAFCA update
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 14:53:39 EST
From: RQuack4131@aol.com
To: riolinda@vrx.net
To Concerned Citizens:
The battle is not over with the vote of SAFCA. Yesterday, I spoke with Pete Rabbon of the State Reclamation Board. They defended our community last time and prevented SAFCA from proceeding with raising the levees, establishing conditions to the SAFCA permit and threatening to revoke it if conditions are not met.
Mr. Rabbon is very aware of our situation now and is investigating SAFCA's plan. He had not been aware that they are moving on us and has not been contacted by them to place this item on the REC Board agenda for approval. They have missed the Feb deadline for submitting their request and March is the earliest this could be considered. Last time, they ignored the State Rec Board and FEMA and started their work without approvals. Charlotte Ketcherside and I went out and took pictures of their big "cats" working on the levees without permits and shared this with FEMA and the STATE REC BOARD.
This is one of the conditions that, if violated, could result in revocation of their permit. If anyone sees them working on the levees, please take pictures. Follow them around and let them know we are watching.
The other agencies get very upset when they are ignored (as we are) by SAFCA.
Letters to SAFCA should be copied to Pete Rabbon General Manager of the State Rec Board. His number is 653-5434 and his email is prabbon@water.ca.gov.
We can still win if we stick together. KEEP Working!
Your Friend, Chris Q
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] Neighbors features Erwin Hayer
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 12:32:51 -0800
From: Jay O'Brien <jayobrien@att.net>
To: Rio Linda Elverta Mailing List <riolinda@vrx.net>
Congratulations to Erwin on the nice writeup in today's Neighbors. If you missed it, here's the link:
http://www.sacbee.com/neighbors/show_story.cgi?20010125/no-730608R.txt
There was also an article on our efforts to fight the SAFCA levee raising. I don't know why the Neighbors didn't include this article in their selection of articles they put on line.
Jay
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] Fwd: Robla South Levee Project
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 20:22:37 -0800
From: "Erwin Hayer" <eeh625@hotmail.com>
To: riolinda@vrx.net
Rio Linda Net
It looks like the last day for input to the SAFCA Board of Directors on the Robla Creek Levee project is February 5 2001.
Erwin
From: "Franklin, Maggie (SAFCA)" <franklinma@saccounty.net>
To: "'eeh625@hotmail.com'" <eeh625@hotmail.com>
Subject: Robla South Levee Project
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2001 11:42:35 -0800
Good Morning,
SAFCA will work with folks until we finalize the design probably about the end of April. However, for issues involving Board action, we can only go until February 5. I hope this helps. If you have any further questions, let me know.
Maggie Franklin
SAFCA Staff
(916) 874-7606
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] Sac Bee: Original Natomas permit tossed out
Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2001 10:38:39 -0800
From: Jay O'Brien <jayobrien@att.net>
To: Rio Linda Elverta Mailing List <riolinda@vrx.net>
Original Natomas permit tossed out
"U.S. District Judge David F. Levi on Friday declared invalid the federal permit issued to the city of Sacramento in 1997 that paved the way for the development of North Natomas..."
By Denny Walsh
Bee Staff Writer
(Published Jan. 27, 2001)
http://www.sacbee.com/news/news/local09_20010127.html
Note that the reason is the City's arbitrary and capricious inadequate provision to protect two species -- the "giant garter snake" and the "Swainson's hawk". There is no mention of the arbitrary and capricious flooding of the species "Rio Linda resident"...
Jay
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RL] Sac Bee: Original Natomas permit tossed out
Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2001 15:38:27 EST
From: RQuack4131@aol.com
To: riolinda@vrx.net
Hi Jay,
That article was UNBELIEVEABLE! Thanks for your alert. It is truely shocking that the garter snake has temporarily stopped them, but flooding us in Rio Linda was unimportant. The way they could try to solve this problem is to make our area into a nature preserve. This has already been an item of discussion with uncertain consequences to land owners.
They have a two year backlog of homes being built without restriction in North Natomas and are pursuing a reversal of this decision. So it is essentially business as usual.
Let's investigate and explore how we feel about this. Is it something we want? or not? What if they bought lands and homes in the floodprone areas and turned it into a nature preserve? Would they pay owners fairly? Do those owners wish to get out?
The rest of us would still see increased flooding from the levee as moving some out would not reduce our flood levels.
What does the State Rec Board think of the permit being tossed out? Is this a way we can beat them? Can we get the whole thing tossed out?
Provision 9 of the permit conditions talks about getting approvals from other authorities as a requirement. Provision 6 states that they can revoke the permit if any provision of the permit are violated with 15 day notice.
There's a lot to think about and investigate. What do you all think?
Chris Q
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
--------
Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] SAFCA Robla Creek North Levee
Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2001 12:18:51 -0800
From: "Erwin Hayer" <eeh625@hotmail.com>
To: prabbon@water.ca.gov
rpineda@water.ca.gov
CC: julie.blazona@asm.ca.gov
riolinda@vrx.net
dwerkman@sacbee.com
TO: Mr. Pete Rabbon
Mr. Ricardo Pineda
The Reclamation Board, 1416
Ninth St, Sacramento CA
SUBJECT: Permit # 16033-A-BD, Robla Creek South Levee
I attended two open houses, one in Rio Linda and the other in Robla, both put on by SAFCA and SAFCA consultants.
At both open house’s, a 500-year flood map was displayed that in the area north of G Street and West of Tenth Street in Rio Linda is not accurate.
I have seen the floodwater about a foot higher during the floods of 1986 and 1995 in this area, which is across G Street from my home.
I brought this to the attention of Mr. Hodgkins and Mr. Washburn at the Robla open house on December 13, 2000 and showed them the FEMA 100-year map. I also submited a letter to Mr. Hodgkins on January 5 2001 which included data on record flood water elevations with in the Dry Creek watershed. (Ref: http://jay.mbz.org/safca/correspondence.html#010105)
I again brought this to the attention of Mr. Hodgkins at the Community Planning Advisory Council on January 9, 2001. The Chairperson then submitted a letter to SAFCA in opposition of the levee.
Pete Ghelfi, of SAFCA, told me on January 6 2001 at a meeting with Janice Hayer, that a concrete wall with a top elevation of 50 feet could be constructed on the north side of G Street. Then some sort of containment speed bump, stop log structure or sand bags, could be constructed across Tenth Street at its crown just north of G Street.
At the SAFCA Board meeting on January 18, 2001, Ray Antonelli turned in over 500 signatures of a Petition for Opposition to Robla Creek Levee raising.
I have not seen any documents that places a responsibility for the protection of the homes in the Ascot Avenue and West Second Street area, or the home on Rio Linda Blvd just south of the levee. Also homes on Rose Street just south of the levee. (Ref my letter to Mr Hodgkins on December 13 2000: http://jay.mbz.org/safca/correspondence.html#001213 )
These homes are at greater risk because of the north and south levees will hold the floodwater on the wet sides higher and longer because these levees eliminated a large area that used to be floodplain.
The local rain can not enter the floodway through flap valves until it is higher than the floodwater on the wet side of the levee. Portable pumps have been installed temporally when these areas have almost had floodwater in the homes.
I have asked who is responsible to insure the portable pumps are installed before these homes flood and have not received an answer. SAFCA built the levees. American River Flood Control is to maintain the levees. Both say they do not have the responsibility to put in portable pumps. They say it is up to the City of Sacramento to install and operate these pumps when needed. Why would the city put in pumps to protect the county??? I still do not know who should be contacted for the installation of these pumps.
“U.S. District Judge David F. Levi on Friday declared invalid the federal permit issued to the city of Sacramento in 1997 that paved the way for the development of North Natomas” (Ref: An article in Sac Bee on January 27, 2001. http://www.sacbee.com/news/news/local09_20010127.html). It looks as if the giant garter snake and the Swainson hawk have more rights than the Rio Linda Residents and Property Owners.
Would this court decision by U.S. District Judge David F. Levi have any effect on the Robla Creek North Area Local Levee Project??
Erwin Hayer
950 G Street
Rio Linda, CA 95673
916-991-5940
eeh625@hotmail.com
>From the Rio Linda mailing list
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] Lower Dry Creek History-Hansen Lake Development
Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2001 22:23:12 -0800
From: "Erwin Hayer" <eeh625@hotmail.com>
To: riolinda@vrx.net
HI Neighbors,
Some past history to bring you up to speed on why I don’t trust the City of Sacramento, American River Flood Control Agency and SAFCA. I do have a lot of respect for the state Reclamation Board as they voted unanimously to disapprove the Hansen Lake Development and later placed 55 conditions on SAFCA before they could raise the Robla Creek South levee above 42 feet.
The 293 acre Hansen Lake Development plans , if approved and constructed in the floodplain, would have reduced the floodplain width from approxmitly 2600 feet between Sully Street (Norwood) on the south and Forth Street on the north to about 1500 feet. This amounts to about 1100 feet in width of the floodplain would have been lost. Ref: DSEIR for the NEMDC West Levee and Robla Creek South Levee Stage 2 Improvements, April 1997, page 6-4.
The Sacramento City Planning Commission, Sacramento City Council and the American River Flood Control Agency Board of Directors had approved this development of 1,113 homes in the Dry Creek and Robla Creek Floodplain.
If the Reclamation Board had not DISAPROVED the Hansen Lake project on April 19, 1997, we would have been in worse shape than we are now.
Because of the approval by the city and the American River Flood Control Agency and SAFCA going along with the Hansen Lake Development, I do not trust any of these agencies. If they will not put it in writing, then I do not believe a word that they say!!!!
It has been very difficult to get the facts from all the documents being published by SAFCA and their Consultants. I need a lawyer to help me understand what is said.
Reference the following articles in the Sacramento Bee found by a search
for “+Hansen +Lakes 1996”.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NEW PUSH BY BUILDER, SEEKS ROBLA PLAN OK
Published on 04/23/1996, Sacramento Bee, Page B1, 887 words.
A jackrabbit bolted across the rain-matted pasture, zigzagging through
cows, as two farm dogs followed in hot pursuit. Housing developer
Wayne Stoops watched from the levee and grinned as the rabbit dove safely
through a wire fence. Complete Article ($1.95)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
COUNCIL OKs HOUSING PLAN; FLOOD RISK SEEN
Published on 04/25/1996, Sacramento Bee, Page B3, 616 words.
A philosophically divided City Council has narrowly approved a dramatic
and controversial plan to build more than a thousand upscale residences
tucked against Rio Linda Creek. The 5-4 midnight vote Tuesday on
the Hansen Lakes project at the city's northern boundary came after four
hours of testimony, mainly about flood risks, in council chambers packed
with water engineers, environmentalists and Robla citizens. Complete Article
($1.95)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSING OK’d DESPITE FLOOD DOUBTS
Published on 04/25/1996, Sacramento Bee, Page B1, 586 words.
A philosophically divided City Council has narrowly approved a dramatic
and controversial plan to build more than a thousand upscale residences
tucked against Rio Linda Creek. The 5-4 midnight vote Tuesday on
the Hansen Lakes project at the city's northern boundary came after four
hours of testimony, mainly about flood risks, in council chambers packed
with water engineers, environmentalists and Robla citizens. Complete Article
($1.95)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NATURE, BUILDERS CLASH IN NORTH SAC
Published on 04/28/1996, Sacramento Bee, Page B1, 821 words.
The clash between faith in human engineering and concern over nature's
powerful floods came to a close and controversial finish in Sacramento
City Council chambers last week. Wayne Stoops, one of the developers
of the Hansen Lakes project, lauded the council for approving his proposal
to build 1,113 homes along Rio Linda Creek (Robla Creek). But others,
such as Alta Tura, a Sacramento Urban Creeks Council board member, believe
the decision is a mockery of basic flood-control principles.Complete Article
($1.95)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
RURAL ROBLA HOPES FOR COMMUNITY BOND RESIDENTS OF RUSTIC "OUTBACK'
URGE CITY TO DEVELOP RECREATION
Published on 08/15/1996, Sacramento Bee, Page N1, 1339 words.
There are no "city slickers" in Robla. Three years ago, Susan Battimarco
and her children, Ryan and Kacey, were among the 11,500 people living in
Robla. Complete Article ($1.95)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
REROUTING OF CREEKS BACKED, CONTROVERSIAL PROJECT CLEARS ANOTHER HURDLE
Published on 11/21/1996, Sacramento Bee, Page B1, 665 words.
A proposal to change the natural flow of two creeks to make way for
1,113 upscale homes in North Sacramento won support Wednesday from the
American River Flood Control Agency board. The 5-0 vote delighted
advocates of the controversial 285-acre Hansen Lakes project of houses,
apartments and condominiums in the northern tip of Sacramento's city limits.
Complete Article ($1.95)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Reference the following articles in the Sacramento Bee found by a search
for “+Hansen +Lakes 1997”.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
BUILDERS'S PLAN TO MOVE CREEK IMMERSED IN CONTROVERSY
Published on 03/17/1997, Sacramento Bee, Page A1, 1475 words.
Wayne Stoops plans to perform two feats of magic.First he's going to
move a creek. Then he's going to bring a ray of economic hope to one of
the poorest parts of Sacramento. Complete Article ($1.95)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
HANSEN LAKES HEARING DELAYED
Published on 03/18/1997, Sacramento Bee, Page B2, 88 words.
The state Reclamation Board has postponed until April 18 a hearing about
Hansen Lakes, a controversial development proposal in Sacramento's Robla
community. The hearing was supposed to be held Friday. Complete Article
($1.95)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
FOCUS ON HANSEN LAKES
Published on 04/18/1997, Sacramento Bee, Page B2, 149 words.
The controversial Hansen Lakes development proposal will be considered
today by the state Reclamation Board. The project would require moving
Robla Creek and building a levee to make way for 1,300 housing units. Complete
Article ($1.95)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ROBLA FLOODPLAIN PROJECT IS DENIED
Published on 04/19/1997, Sacramento Bee, Page A1, 772 words.
A controversial development that would have put homes in a flood-prone
area was killed Friday, despite claims that the 1,000-unit project would
be 100 percent safe. The state Reclamation Board unanimously denied
the Hansen Lakes project proposed for the depressed Robla community in
the northern part of the city of Sacramento, stating that approval would
fly in the face of good floodplain management practices. Complete Article
($1.95)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hope you all can understand some of what has gone on in the past from the above. I would like to have a complete copy all of the above mentioned Sacramento Bee articles in a safe deposit box, but I don’t. I hope the Bee’s archive doesn’t disappear.
Erwin Hayer
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