Congresswoman Doris Matsui and West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon, along with flood protection partners, broke ground on the Southport Levee Improvement Project yesterday.
The Southport Levee Improvement Project is West Sacramento’s largest levee project to date. It will improve nearly six miles of vulnerable levee along the Sacramento River in Southport. It is one of four significant West Sacramento levee projects initiated in the past ten years, the city said.
“The Southport project represents the first levee improvement initiative to meet both federal and state requirements in the post Katrina era,” said West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon.
“The levee will provide a 200-year level of protection consistent with the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan. This benefits not only the citizens and businesses of West Sacramento, but also provides significant habitat and recreational opportunities for the entire region.”
The $170 million Southport project is the first step in addressing the remaining levee deficiencies in West Sacramento, the release said.
Project partners including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Central Valley Flood Protection Board and California Department of Water Resources spoke about the significance of the Southport Project and the benefits contained in the federal WRDA bill.