Yuba Water Agency’s board of directors today approved approximately $1 million in grants for flood risk reduction, water quality improvements and emergency response equipment.
$910,000 - Yuba County water quality projects
A $910,000 grant was approved for Yuba County for three capital improvement projects, including a waterway cleanup project, Olivehurst storm drainage improvements and a new wash rack for county vehicles.
$250,000 will be used to help clean up and remove homeless debris, abandoned cars and hazardous waste from area waterways.
“It’s an ongoing struggle to keep the waterways clean,” said Yuba County Community Development Services Agency Director Mike Lee. “We want to get as much of it cleaned up as possible before the high-water flows begin and create hazardous conditions.”
Yuba County also plans to coordinate with the City of Marysville on these efforts.
$500,000 will be put toward storm drain improvements on 11th Ave. in Olivehurst, between Olivehurst Ave. and Powerline Rd.
The county received funding to improve this stretch of road through a state program focusing on safe routes to schools, and underground storm drain improvements are required as part of that. The drainage components add up to about a third of the total project cost, so having Yuba Water cover the costs of the storm drainage, the county is able to meet the local match for the grant.
The remaining $160,000 will allow Yuba County to purchase a wash rack for large trucks and equipment at their relocated corporation yard.
This will be a designated area where they can hose down and clean up the equipment, and will capture the runoff to prevent hazardous materials and contaminants from getting into the drainage system.
$50,000 - Marysville Ring Levee cultural resources studies
Continuing to advance Yuba Water’s mission to reduce flood risk in Yuba County, the board approved a $50,000 grant to the Marysville Levee Commission for cultural resources studies that are required for the relocation of existing PG&E utility poles as part of the next phases of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Marysville Ring Levee project.
The utilities include distribution and transmission lines for both gas and electric, as well as associated support structures.
Yuba Water’s grant provides the necessary funds for the Marysville Levee Commission to contract with Pacific Legacy, Inc. to complete the studies prior to removal of the existing utilities and installation of the brand new equipment.
The 7.5-mile-long Marysville Ring Levee surrounds and protects the City of Marysville. Once the project is complete, the newly strengthened levee will provide a 300-year level of protection, meaning there is a 1-in-300 chance in any given year that a storm could come along that is bigger than the levees were designed to handle. That is one of the highest levels of flood protection for a city in central California.
$20,000 - First responder equipment
The board also approved Bill Shaw Rescue Equipment and Training grants for two foothill fire departments to assist in their emergency response efforts.
The Foothill Fire Protection District received up to $10,000 for the purchase of 20 new pagers that will be used by fire and emergency response personnel.
Another grant, worth up to $10,000, was approved for the Dobbins Oregon House Fire Protection District to help the department purchase a gear dryer and extractor washer, which are designed to remove hazardous materials from personal protective fire gear.
Named after Yuba Water employee Bill Shaw, these grants cover the one-time costs of up to $10,000 per applicant annually to support the purchase of rescue equipment or specialized personnel training by first responders in Yuba County.