California Silver Jackets

The California Silver Jackets Program brings together federal, state, and local agencies to improve flood risk management across California through short-term, nonstructural projects. The program strengthens coordination, supports collaborative projects and raises awareness of flood risks and climate variability, especially before disasters occur.

Current Projects

The Silver Jackets team works with local, state, and federal partners to deliver projects that include emergency action planning and exercises; emergency preparedness and response; modeling and mapping; outreach and education; and Tribal-centered projects.

Levee Maintenance Workshops

Led by the Department of Water Resources with support from federal, state, and local partners, this webinar series is designed to enhance levee maintenance awareness. It will provide information about best practices, regulations, and safety guidelines from subject matter experts. For more information about the workshops, email Silver.Jackets@water.ca.gov.

Past Projects

Examples of the team’s past efforts are highlighted below. If you would like to work with us, contact the team at Silver.Jackets@water.ca.gov

Emergency Action Planning and Exercises

San Joaquin Valley Tabletop Exercise (2024)

This tabletop exercise identified data and coordination gaps, and it explored how each of the three regions that make up the San Joaquin Valley could support each other during a flood emergency. The 2024 exercise incorporated lessons learned from the 2020 California Emergency Response Exercise project, which worked to address communication challenges identified during previous high-water events.

Emergency Preparedness and Response

California Emergency Management for Unsheltered Populations Workshop Series

Workshops in the Sacramento and San Diego areas brought together a diverse group of over 100 professionals to explore concerns related to encampments of unhoused individuals in California’s waterways. Two workshops were held for agencies working with unsheltered populations and flood risk management agencies to provide cross-training and develop recommendations for future management of flood systems.

Modeling and Mapping

Flood Risk Technical Workshops

This workshop series identified and shared web-based tools that [KR3.1]support emergency response, other flood fighting measures, and projects. This project also strengthened the lines of communication between federal, state, and local agencies needed during disaster response and recovery. Topics for the workshops included:

California Data Exchange Center (CDEC)
California Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC) River and Reservoir Forecasting
California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (CalOES)
Google Earth Engine: How Google Earth Engine Can Support Flood Risk Management
NOAA Tides & Currents and the Coastal Inundation Dashboard

Outreach and Education

California Flood Preparedness Week

Each year during California Flood Preparedness Week, communities and local, state, and federal agencies share information about flood risk and how to prepare. They educate Californians about the types of flooding that impact communities, engage kids with interactive demonstrations and exhibits, and share preparedness tips and tools through social media and public outreach events. This Silver Jackets program began in 2012 with a single event in Sacramento County and continues to expand statewide.

San Joaquin Nonstructural Workshops

This project combined the resources and expertise of federal, state, and local agencies to support communities in the San Joaquin Valley through flood risk management and mitigation education. The Silver Jackets Team hosted four successful workshops for policymakers and for the public. Topics included emergency action planning, engineering with nature case studies and opportunities, beneficial functions of floodplains for environmental justice communities, climate change resilience in the Central Valley, and funding opportunities for flood risk reduction projects. The project supported the floodplain management objectives of the 2023 California State Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Tribal Projects

Tribal Emergency and Floodplain Management Workshop Series

To address flood risk challenges facing tribes in California, the Silver Jackets Team hosted three virtual workshops during summer 2024 to provide them with information on funding and resources available for flood preparation and response activities through federal and state partner agencies. These resources, tools, and funding programs can help tribes improve their flood preparedness. Overall, the workshops reached 22 federally recognized Tribes and 2 non-federally recognized Tribes.
Topics included:

California Grants Portal and state-administered grant opportunities
DWR’s State-Federal Flood Operations Center
FEMA’s overview of flood mitigation assistance programs
Real-time river forecasts, weather and water resources from the National Weather Service
Tribal and interagency case studies for improving flood risk management and water resource issues from the Navajo Nation Silver Jackets Team
Emergency response resources from the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the US Army Corps of Engineers

Webinars and Workshops

Watershed University

Watershed University is a free event that provides education and networking opportunities for California professionals in floodplain management, water management, emergency management and related fields. Over the years, the program has evolved from an in-person event to virtual webinars. More information about Watershed University is available on its webpage.

Colonel Carl Morrison Collaborative Leadership Award

Col. Carleton “Carl” Morrison, Jr. was a well-respected, collaborative leader of California flood risk management issues. He was also a visionary and leader within the California Silver Jackets community. After his sudden passing in 2018, this award was established to honor Carl and recognize leaders who embody his values of collaboration, leadership, and dedication. The award recognizes dedicated leaders in local, state, federal, and tribal flood risk management.

Award Recipients

2019: Maria Lorenzo-Lee, California Department of Water Resources
2020: Melissa Weymiller, United States Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District
2021: Jose Lara, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
2022: Ricardo Pineda, California Department of Water Resources
2023: Mark Strudley, Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency
2024: Rachel Orellana, United States Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District
2025: Michael Mierzwa, California Department of Water Resources