Board authorizes letter of intent to Paradise Irrigation District to reimburse Magalia Dam design costs pending construction funding

Butte County supervisors on Sept. 30 authorized staff to sign a letter of intent to Paradise Irrigation District to reimburse design costs for proposed Magalia Dam improvements and related Skyway roadway enhancements, contingent on PID obtaining construction funding.

Katie Simmons, deputy chief administrative officer, said the county is pursuing eligibility for Community Development Block Grant — Disaster Recovery (CDBG‑DR) funds to support several Camp Fire‑related projects and that PID asked the county to reimburse design costs estimated at $350,000. Simmons said staff will work with PID to identify funding sources for construction and to explore joint federal funding opportunities.

Kevin Phillips, district manager for Paradise Irrigation District, described the dam repairs as an in‑place retrofit of the 1916 Magalia Dam — widening the dam slopes with engineered fill and rock to address seepage and seismic concerns — and said raising the dam footprint would restore original storage from the state‑mandated lowered level. Phillips said the project is a priority for evacuation resilience because widening the dam crest offers a practical opportunity to address a bottleneck on Skyway used for emergency evacuations.

Director Josh Pack (Public Works) and county staff said the county will continue coordinating with PID and federal partners, and recommended authorizing the acting CAO to sign the LOI to reimburse design costs with interest, contingent on PID securing construction funding. The board approved the recommendation by voice vote.

Provenance: Presentation and public comment on the Magalia Dam and Skyway upgrades began at 00:56:40 and the board vote authorizing the LOI was taken on the record in agenda item 4.13.