Napa Valley Register - Downtown flood bypass wins federal funding
June 25, 2013
By Register Staff
Rep. Mike Thompson announced Monday afternoon that the Army Corps of Engineers had allocated $16.6 million to build the vital flood bypass channel in downtown Napa.
The channel, which would double as a city park in dry weather, is a critical component of the Napa River flood control project, approved by county voters in 1998.
“This project will be a linchpin of economic development and job creation in our community for decades to come,” Thompson said in a news release.
Mayor Jill Techel, who received the news in a call from Thompson on Monday, said the federal funding was, “amazing, just amazing.” She'd been hopeful the project would be funded, but recently had started to doubt that money would be included in next year's federal budget.
“This is a really positive step for Napa,” Techel said.
This marks the project's first major federal allocation since it received $100 million in federal stimulus money in 2009 to elevate railroad tracks and flood-proof Napa Creek.
Napa County Supervisor Bill Dodd said the money gives new life to the flood project and will help bolster its chances for additional funding in the future.
“We feel really good about this,” he said. “It keeps our project at the forefront of peoples' minds. Obviously when you're not funded, the next year you go back there, it's just that much harder to get funded. That was my biggest concern, if we didn't get funded this year, how would we go back and get this project funded?”
Since the flood of 2005, Techel said she's been holding her breath that Napa would not experience another major inundation before the flood bypass is complete.
“I'm glad we're going to be able to get this done before we have that next flood storm that sends us backward instead of forward,” Techel said.
The bypass, though a small part of the overall project which will someday stretch from Trancas Street to Highway 29's Butler Bridge, is an important one.
“Constructing the bypass channel will represent no more than 4 percent of the entire project cost, while providing more than 30 percent of the flood protection benefits,” Thompson said in a news release, citing an economic study requested by the assistant secretary of the Army for civil works.
In past interviews, flood control officials have said 60 percent of the total flood control benefits will have been achieved upon the completion of the bypass. To date, nearly $400 million has been spent on the Napa flood control project.
The bypass will divert 50 percent of the flood waters that would normally flow through the Oxbow area into a shortcut that will run from the river behind Oxbow Public Market, across McKinstry Street and under Napa Valley Wine Train tracks before reconnecting to the river at its juncture with Napa Creek. During the dry season, the bypass, called Oxbow Commons, will provide a place for public gatherings.
It was unclear Monday afternoon whether the allocation would be enough to complete the project that has been projected to cost $23 million. Techel, who represents the city on the Napa County flood control board, said the flood district may have some money available and there are potentially more sources.
Dodd said low bids may also help the project get finished within the new allocation. Regardless, he said the federal allocation will take care of the “lion's share” of the work.
“This is everything,” Dodd said.
Local officials had been lobbying hard for the bypass for several years, saying it would provide significant flood protection to the Oxbow area, Napa Valley Exposition and Soscol Avenue's Auto Row. Techel and Dodd thanked Thompson and Senators Barbara Boxer and Nancy Pelosi for working to secure the funding.
The bypass design is complete, allowing the Corps to put the project to bid relatively soon now that funding is available for construction. The project must be put out to bid during the 2014-2015 federal fiscal year which starts Oct. 1, Techel said.
“I haven't heard from the Army Corps but I can't believe this thing can't be put out to bid almost immediately,” Dodd said.
The channel, which would double as a city park in dry weather, is a critical component of the Napa River flood control project, approved by county voters in 1998.
“This project will be a linchpin of economic development and job creation in our community for decades to come,” Thompson said in a news release.
Mayor Jill Techel, who received the news in a call from Thompson on Monday, said the federal funding was, “amazing, just amazing.” She'd been hopeful the project would be funded, but recently had started to doubt that money would be included in next year's federal budget.
“This is a really positive step for Napa,” Techel said.
This marks the project's first major federal allocation since it received $100 million in federal stimulus money in 2009 to elevate railroad tracks and flood-proof Napa Creek.
Napa County Supervisor Bill Dodd said the money gives new life to the flood project and will help bolster its chances for additional funding in the future.
“We feel really good about this,” he said. “It keeps our project at the forefront of peoples' minds. Obviously when you're not funded, the next year you go back there, it's just that much harder to get funded. That was my biggest concern, if we didn't get funded this year, how would we go back and get this project funded?”
Since the flood of 2005, Techel said she's been holding her breath that Napa would not experience another major inundation before the flood bypass is complete.
“I'm glad we're going to be able to get this done before we have that next flood storm that sends us backward instead of forward,” Techel said.
The bypass, though a small part of the overall project which will someday stretch from Trancas Street to Highway 29's Butler Bridge, is an important one.
“Constructing the bypass channel will represent no more than 4 percent of the entire project cost, while providing more than 30 percent of the flood protection benefits,” Thompson said in a news release, citing an economic study requested by the assistant secretary of the Army for civil works.
In past interviews, flood control officials have said 60 percent of the total flood control benefits will have been achieved upon the completion of the bypass. To date, nearly $400 million has been spent on the Napa flood control project.
The bypass will divert 50 percent of the flood waters that would normally flow through the Oxbow area into a shortcut that will run from the river behind Oxbow Public Market, across McKinstry Street and under Napa Valley Wine Train tracks before reconnecting to the river at its juncture with Napa Creek. During the dry season, the bypass, called Oxbow Commons, will provide a place for public gatherings.
It was unclear Monday afternoon whether the allocation would be enough to complete the project that has been projected to cost $23 million. Techel, who represents the city on the Napa County flood control board, said the flood district may have some money available and there are potentially more sources.
Dodd said low bids may also help the project get finished within the new allocation. Regardless, he said the federal allocation will take care of the “lion's share” of the work.
“This is everything,” Dodd said.
Local officials had been lobbying hard for the bypass for several years, saying it would provide significant flood protection to the Oxbow area, Napa Valley Exposition and Soscol Avenue's Auto Row. Techel and Dodd thanked Thompson and Senators Barbara Boxer and Nancy Pelosi for working to secure the funding.
The bypass design is complete, allowing the Corps to put the project to bid relatively soon now that funding is available for construction. The project must be put out to bid during the 2014-2015 federal fiscal year which starts Oct. 1, Techel said.
“I haven't heard from the Army Corps but I can't believe this thing can't be put out to bid almost immediately,” Dodd said.
Issues:Jobs & Economy