Merced County getting $9.7M grant to help area with troubled history of flooding
The California Department of Water Resources will hand out a $9.7 million grant to Merced County to support a project that will help reduce flooding in the Franklin-Beachwood area.
Merced County will use the grant money to construct a new 300-acre flood detention basin which will add a level of flood protection for nearly 6,000 residents.
Merced County is one of three Central Valley communities that will benefit from $28 million in grants from the California Department of Water Resources.
“There are communities within the Central Valley where the flood infrastructure does not meet current levee performance standards,” said Jeremy Arrich, chief of DWR’s Division of Flood Management.
“The Small Communities Flood Risk Reduction Program provides grant funding for local agencies to develop flood risk reduction projects that address their specific needs.”
Area has history of flooding
The Franklin-Beachwood area was hit hard by rains in April 2006, which brought widespread flooding to the county, triggered school closures, the evacuation of hundreds of residents and state of emergency declarations.
No major injuries were reported during the flooding, which left waist-high water and damaged hundreds of homes.
Several days of heavy downpours pushed water over the banks of El Capitan Canal and caused most of the damage in the Franklin-Beachwood area. Bear Creek also went over its banks, as did Black Rascal and Fahrens creeks.
Eight years ago, Merced Irrigation District officials settled a federal lawsuit filed by Franklin-Beachwood residents whose properties were flooded in that storm. MID agreed to pay the residents $5 million.
In addition to Merced County, the community of Grimes in Colusa County will receive a $3 million grant and Knights Landing in Yolo County will receive a $15 million grant.
A complete description of the Merced County project and the other two projects and the benefits provided to these communities can be found on the SCFRR webpage.
