To: The Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors
From: Warren Lai, Public Works Director/Chief Engineer
Report Title: Amendment to the Agreement with the California Department of Water Resources: Flood Emergency Response Projects Grant Program - Statewide.
Recommendation: Recommendation of the County Administrator
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Acting as the governing body of the Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (FCD), APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Chief Engineer, or designee, to execute an amendment to the agreement with the California Department of Water Resources: Flood Emergency Response Projects Grant Program - Statewide, to extend the deadline for work completion through October 31, 2026, and to extend the deadline for requesting reimbursement through April 29, 2027, with no change in the grant amount, Concord, Danville, Martinez, Pacheco, Pinole, Pleasant Hill, Rodeo, San Pablo, Richmond, and Walnut Creek areas.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The amendment will modify the agreement term only and not change the amount of the grant. Any incidental costs associated with the project and not covered by the grant will be paid for by FCD funds. (No fiscal impact) Project No. 7505-6F8117
BACKGROUND:
In 2014, Contra Costa County (County) applied for and received a grant from the Department of Water Resources for $206,500 under the first round of the Flood Emergency Response Projects Grant Program - Statewide: State Contract No. 4600012938. This grant paid to install 11 stream gauges in the nonlegal Delta streams and for the FCD RainMap webpage (www.cccounty.us/RainMap). <http://www.cccounty.us/RainMap)> The work on that project was completed in December 2017.
On February 4, 2020, the Board of Supervisors approved a second grant agreement with the State of California in the amount of $374,000 for the establishment of flood-stage elevations at 12 of the FCD’s stream gauges (including all 11 installed by the first grant). The established flood-stage elevations are shown on plots on the FCD RainMap where the public are able to view the stream stages and compare them to flood stages. This is to heighten the public’s awareness of the stream conditions during areawide flood watches. Part of the grant paid for FCD time to communicate the flood stages and stream gauge information with the County Office of Emergency Services and other jurisdictions, such as cities and park districts.
Amendment No. 3 of the grant agreement required the FCD to request all reimbursements by April 29, 2026, but the final report and associated request for reimbursement was not prepared until after the deadline. At the recommendation of the State Department of Water Resources, the FCD agreed to amend the agreement with this Amendment No. 4 to extend the deadline for work completion through October 31, 2026, and to extend the deadline for requesting reimbursement through April 29, 2027. The extensions will allow the FCD to request a final reimbursement and receive the maximum eligible funding from the grant program.
Amendment No. 4 to the grant agreement was reviewed and approved as to form by County Counsel.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Without the Board of Supervisors’ approval, the FCD will not maximize the final reimbursement available from the grant.