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 of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Acting as the governing body of the Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (Flood Control District), 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 term through October 29, 2025, and adjust budget allocations, with no change in the grant amount, Concord, Danville, Martinez, Pacheco, Pinole, Pleasant Hill, Rodeo, San Pablo, Richmond, and Walnut Creek areas.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No 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 Flood Control District funds. (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 our 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 our stream gauges (including all 11 installed by the first grant). We are continuing to work to establish the elevations at each stream gauge where we estimate flooding could occur in the general area upstream and downstream of the stream gauges.
The established flood-stage elevations are now shown on plots on our 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 our 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.
The Flood Control District overspent on some tasks and underspent on others. At the recommendation of the State Department of Water Resources, the Flood Control District agreed to amend the agreement to reallocate the budget, allowing it to receive the maximum eligible reimbursement. Although the amendment sets an October 29, 2025, completion date, the Board action occurs only a week before; this is acceptable since the work is already 100% complete. The term extension exists solely to allow the reallocation. Once revised, a final invoice will be submitted to capture all eligible funding.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Without the Board of Supervisors’ approval, the Flood Control District will not maximize the final amount it can receive from the grant.