Trustees seek Army Corps reviews, receive debris and FEMA updates; CCC cleanup discussed

Pacheco Stormwater District trustees on March 24 approved staff recommendations to submit letters of interest to two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers programs — the National Levee Safety Program and the Floodplain Management Services program — and discussed debris removal, levee repairs, FEMA reimbursement status and possible conservation corps cleanup work.

The action requests Army Corps site visits and technical assistance and lets the district begin the formal intake process for levee review and floodplain technical support; trustees were also briefed on a 1973 Army Corps report about the district and on state disaster recovery funds the county has been allocated.

Why it matters: Army Corps technical review and floodplain planning can clarify levee condition, help the district enroll in federal assistance programs and guide long-term O&M (operation and maintenance) planning. Near-term cleanup and debris removal affect flood risk this winter and access for inspections and repairs.

Debris removal and levee repairs: Steve Luke, public works administrator, told trustees that five debris piles removed from the creek have been staged outside the levee; four of the piles have been burned following protocol, and the last remaining pile is at the northeast corner of Lovers Lane and Pacheco Creek. Luke said staff will coordinate with the private property owner on burn permits and timing as weather allows, and that embankment repairs are underway where conditions permit but remain weather-dependent.

FEMA applications: Luke reported that the district—s FEMA reimbursement request had progressed in the federal spend-plan confirmation process to a high review level (described at the meeting as the third step), and that authorization for reimbursement appeared imminent pending remaining administrative steps. Trustees were told this is the final phase before FEMA obligates funds for approved projects.

Army Corps letters and PL 84-99: Staff recommended and trustees approved sending separate letters of interest to the Army Corps— Levee Safety Review and Floodplain Management Service programs to request a site assessment and technical assistance. Trustees and members of the public discussed PL 84-99 (the Corps— emergency assistance authority) in public comment: a resident urged the district to consider enrolling so the district could be eligible for emergency debris removal and culvert/road clearing that Corps PL 84-99 provides following a disaster; county and Corps staff explained that enrollment and eligibility often depend on levee condition and that a site assessment would clarify readiness for PL 84-99.

California Conservation Corps (CCC) cleanup proposal: The board reviewed drone footage of creek conditions and discussed a CCC offer to send a crew of about 12 workers for vegetation and dead-debris removal at roughly $13,000 per five-day week. Trustees and residents noted the drone footage was largely aerial and suggested either lower-altitude footage or an on-foot inspection to identify specific locations where a CCC crew could work within permitting limits (the CCC can remove nonliving vegetation and perform limited bank-top clearing but cannot perform ground-disturbing work without permits).

State disaster recovery funding: Staff summarized allocations under state housing and infrastructure disaster programs tied to the 2023-24 storms. San Benito County has been allocated, tentatively, approximately $1.9 million for disaster-related infrastructure repairs and roughly $9.5 million for mitigation funding; staff said those funds could be used for projects such as roadway reconstruction (the county has proposed using the infrastructure allocation to repair Lovers Lane) and that there may be potential to use mitigation funds for hydraulic studies and levee improvements, subject to program rules and easements from private property owners. HCD (the State Department of Housing and Community Development) will host webinars (English on April 2 and Spanish on April 3) explaining program rules and eligible uses; staff encouraged landowners and trustees to attend.

Other items: Trustees and members of the public discussed the 1973 Army Corps district report, permission and permitting needs (including Lake and Streambed Alteration agreements and other permits), the need to coordinate with county agriculture staff and local farmers on funding or assistance, and the possibility of a walking tour of levee segments to identify specific cleanup and maintenance needs prior to committing funding.

Motion and outcome: A trustee moved to approve submission of letters of interest to the Army Corps Levee Safety Review and Floodplain Management Services programs; the motion was seconded and approved unanimously by trustees present.

What happens next: Staff will submit the two letters of interest to the Army Corps, coordinate site-access logistics with private landowners, follow up on the FEMA obligation steps, evaluate the CCC proposal after more detailed site assessment or lower-altitude footage/walking inspections, and pursue grant and mitigation funding details through county and state programs. Staff also agreed to circulate the 1973 Corps report to the Corps and make the report available to trustees for a future meeting.