Central Valley Flood Protection Plan

The Central Valley Flood Protection Plan (CVFPP) is California's strategic blueprint to improve flood risk management in the Central Valley. Prepared by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) in accordance with the Central Valley Flood Protection Act of 2008 (Act) and adopted by the Central Valley Flood Protection Board (CVFPB) in June 2012, the CVFPP guides the State’s participation in managing flood risk in areas protected by the State Plan of Flood Control (SPFC). The CVFPP is updated every 5 years in accordance with the Act. The plan lays out strategies to:

• Prioritize the State's investment in flood management over a 30-year planning horizon
• Promote multi-benefit projects
• Integrate and improve ecosystem functions associated with flood-risk-reduction projects

Although flood management has improved considerably in the Central Valley since the passage of State bonds in 2007 and the Act in 2008, this vast region still faces significant flood risk particularly with the urgent threat of climate change. Approximately 1.3 million Californians live and work in the valley’s floodplains, which contain approximately $223 billion worth of structures and their contents. All of California and the nation could experience a devastating societal and financial impact from a major flood in the Central Valley. Without sufficient and sustained investment in Central Valley flood management, the risk to life and property will increase.

Each five-year cycle of the CVFPP includes an update of the following supporting documents: the State Plan of the Flood Control Descriptive Document Update, Flood System Status Report, and Conservation Strategy Update.

2022 CVFPP Update

The 2022 CVFPP Update evaluates progress made since passage of major State bonds in 2007 and recommends future management actions led by State, federal, and local partners to continue implementation of the CVFPP. The 2022 CVFPP Update focuses on three key themes:

• Climate Resilience
• Performance Tracking
• Alignment with Other State Efforts

The 2022 CVFPP Update continues to build on the significant amount of work completed over the past 15 years to better understand and develop priorities to improve flood risk management in the Central Valley. Using new information, updated science, and innovative tools, it recommends priority actions to address flood risk in the face of climate change. Development of the 2022 CVFPP Update was informed by a robust, multi-year communications and engagement process that involved frequent discussions with State, federal, Tribal, and local partners.

• Public Draft 2022 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan Update (includes Appendices)
• Public Draft 2022 CVFPP Update Electronic Review Guidance
• Presentation to the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, March 25, 2022 (*Note: Presentation starts at 42.53 minutes)

Upon request, State staff will work to provide language accommodations for those whose primary language is not English (such as providing information, answering questions, and receiving comments in other languages). To discuss your language access needs, please contact cvfmp@water.ca.gov. 

How to Comment

The Public Draft 2022 CVFPP Update is available for a public review period. During this time, the CVFPB will host a series of public hearings to collect comments on the draft plan.  Comments on the Public Draft 2022 CVFPP Update should be provided no later than June 6, 2022 at 5 pm PST, and can be submitted in the following ways:

• Email: Submit comments electronically to cvfmp@water.ca.gov using the Electronic Review Guidance
• Postal Mail:  

  California Department of Water Resources
Systemwide Mulit-benefit Initiatives Branch
Attn:  Jason Sidley
715 P Street, 6th Fl. Mailbox 15
Sacramento, CA 94236-0001

• Public hearing:  More information about hearings (including dates and locations) is provided at Central Valley Flood Protection Board.

Supporting Documents

The 2022 CVFPP Update is accompanied by the following documents: 2022 State Plan of Flood Control (SPFC) Descriptive Document Update, 2022 Flood System Status Report (FSSR) Update, and a CEQA Addendum to the 2012 Programmatic Environmental Impact Report. These documents are required by the Act. Additionally, the 2022 CVFPP Conservation Strategy Update supports development of the 2022 CVFPP Update but remains a separate companion document for more detailed information and analyses of ecosystem and multi-benefit potential. Together, these documents and others support development of the 2022 CVFPP Update and fulfill the legal requirements of the Act. 

State Plan of Flood Control Descriptive Document

• Public Draft 2022 State Plan of Flood Control Descriptive Document Update (Released 02/25/2022)
• Public Comment Form for the 2022 SPFC Descriptive Document Update

Flood System Status Report

• Public Draft 2022 Flood System Status Report (Released 02/25/2022)
• Public Comment Form for the 2022 FSSR Update

CVFPP Conservation Strategy

• Public Draft 2022 CVFPP Conservation Strategy Update  (Released 12/10/2021)
• For more information, visit the CVFPP Conservation Strategy website.

Addition In-Progress Documents

• Delta Plan Consistency Determination (*Note: Document will be made available soon)
• CVFPP Technical Analyses Summary Report and Appendices (*Note: Document will be made available soon)
• Merced River Basin Flood-MAR Reconnaissance Study Technical Memorandum (*Note: Document will be made available soon)
• 2022 Outcome-Based Performance Tracking and Adaptive Management Framework Technical Memorandum (*Note: Document will be made available soon)
• CVFPP Engagement Record (*Note: Document will be made available soon)
• Contributing Authors and Workgroup Members List (*Note: Document will be made available soon)

2017 CVFPP Update

DWR developed the 2017 CVFPP Update with robust communication and engagement efforts to support its development between 2012 and 2017. The 2017 CVFPP Update considered regional perspectives and proposed solutions from six locally led regional flood management planning groups to foster a shared vision for local and regional flood management and align State, regional, and local priorities. The 2017 CVFPP Update considered feedback, data, and perspectives from State, federal and local agencies, non-governmental organizations, agricultural interests, and other interested individuals.

 

The 2017 CVFPP Update adopted in August 2017 by the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, serves as a long-range plan that guides the State’s participation in managing flood risk in the Central Valley until the next 5-year update. It guides the State’s programmatic investment in flood management from 2017 over the next 30 years.