Greetings,

After a record dry year and wildfire season, the first big rain of the season hit us hard – a record-breaking amount of rainfall, just in time for California Flood Preparedness Week.

That’s the nature of our weather, right? It’s often feast or famine; rarely “just right.” The storm we saw this past weekend was an atmospheric river. Those are powerful, rain-filled storms that provide half of our state’s annual precipitation – so they have a huge effect on whether we’re in drought or not. They also cause the majority of floods in our region. Last weekend was an incredible reminder that we always have to be vigilant and prepare for the weather extremes our area is known for, which are just expected to get more extreme in the future.

No matter what the forecast holds, Yuba Water continues to invest in programs and partnerships that advance our mission areas and benefit our communities, with our primary focus always on reducing flood risk. Yuba Water continues to fund levee maintenance and other infrastructure projects to ensure Yuba County businesses and communities can grow and thrive, knowing they're among the best protected in the state from flood risk. Learn more about our vital flood risk reduction efforts on our website.

We also continue to invest in projects to ensure a sustainable water supply for the people of Yuba County. Throughout this drought, we have continued to work with local farmers and irrigators to sustainably manage our water through an incredibly challenging time. This decades-long partnership, and the many years of responsible management of our surface and groundwater supplies that come with that, have truly helped our region weather the drought far better than other parts of the state.

These are just a few of the ways we're investing in Yuba County for the long run, trying to be a catalyst for a brighter future. I hope you'll more below about the work we're doing. I also encourage you to follow Yuba Water on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for additional updates and events.

Willie Whittlesey
General Manager, Yuba Water Agency

As work to enhance the lower Yuba River ecosystem and reduce flood risk for downstream communities continues, initial reports show fish are already using habitat restored as part of the 157-acre Hallwood Side Channel and Floodplain Restoration Project. The project is a collaborative effort funded by Yuba Water, California Natural Resources Agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and supported by a diverse coalition of partners. [Read on]

Yuba Water and partners including World Resources Institute, Blue Forest Conservation, National Forest Foundation, U.S. Forest Service and the North Yuba Forest Partnership are pleased to announce the launch of the second Forest Resilience Bond. The new bond leverages a $6 million commitment from Yuba Water to spark private investment for a total of $25 million in forest resilience and post-fire restoration projects in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. [Read on]

Anytime you live near a levee or below a dam, you are at risk of flooding. California Flood Preparedness Week is an opportunity to learn about flood risk and prepare for flooding before it happens. Learn more about flooding and what steps you can take to protect yourself, your family and your property. [Read on]

Yuba Water's Board of Directors last month approved more than $1.1 million for critical urban and rural levee improvements in Yuba County. The investments ensure Yuba County businesses and communities can continue to grow and thrive knowing that they're among the best protected in the state in terms of flood risk. [Read on]

Join Yuba Water for a one-hour lunch and learn on November 17 to learn about how we maintain New Bullards Bar Dam and support other critical flood infrastructure in Yuba County. We'll also highlight work to improve how we forecast and plan for atmospheric rivers like the one we just experienced. [Register here]

Yuba Water's Board of Directors recently granted $15,000 to the Camptonville Community Services District, which is experiencing water supply shortages, to help them seek additional financial and technical support to ensure the community is better able to handle drought. [Read on]

The South Yuba River Citizens League has resumed Salmon Expeditions for local grade school students after a year-long hiatus. Funding from Yuba Water supports the tours for Yuba County students, during which they learn about salmon habitat, restoration projects and Nisenan culture. The agency also supports a water shoe loaner program to reduce barriers to access for students. [Read on]

Yuba Water has received a distinguished contribution award from the California Association of Science Educators (CASE) for its Yuba River watershed curriculum project. The project is the cornerstone of the agency’s broader watershed education program, which aims to promote stewardship and awareness of the region’s water and natural resources. [Read on]

Yuba Water recently received an Outstanding Stewards of America’s Waters Award in the category of Recreational, Environmental & Historical Enhancement by the National Hydropower Association for its Watershed Resilience Program, which aims to protect Yuba County communities and resources by reducing catastrophic wildfire risk in our watershed. [Read on]

Every ten years following the release of the U.S. census, local governments that elect representatives by district must assess and adjust their district boundaries to ensure areas have nearly equal representation. Yuba Water is currently drafting redistricting map proposals for public input. The draft maps are expected to be released for public review in mid November. [Read on]