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| California Department of Water Resources Division of Flood Management | |
|---|---|
| Name | Division of Flood Management |
| Agency type | State agency |
| Formed | 2015 (reorganized) |
| Jurisdiction | California |
| Parent agency | California Department of Water Resources |
| Headquarters | Sacramento, California |
| Chief1 name | Director |
| Chief1 position | Director |
California Department of Water Resources Division of Flood Management is the state-level unit within the California Department of Water Resources responsible for flood risk reduction, floodplain management, and emergency flood operations across California. The Division develops integrated flood strategies, administers flood program grants, and coordinates with federal, tribal, regional, and local entities including the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services. Its work intersects major infrastructure programs such as the Central Valley Project, State Water Project, and regional initiatives in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta.
The Division traces its lineage to early 20th-century California flood efforts following catastrophic events like the 1862 Great Flood of 1862 and the 1955 California floods of 1955. Institutional evolution involved agencies and commissions such as the California State Water Resources Control Board, the Reclamation Board (California), and programs created after the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and the Flood Control Act of 1965. Major milestones include post-1997 New Year’s Floods reforms, the creation of integrated flood management policy after the 1997 Central Valley flood, and reorganization aligning with the California Water Plan updates and the Delta Vision strategic planning process.
The Division operates under the California Department of Water Resources executive management structure and reports to the DWR Director, who liaises with the California Natural Resources Agency Secretary and the Governor of California. Internal units commonly include Flood Project Management, Floodplain Mapping, Flood Maintenance, Emergency Operations, and Grants Management. Leadership historically collaborates with officials from the United States Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the California State Legislature standing committees on water and natural resources.
Primary responsibilities include planning and implementing statewide flood risk reduction projects, maintaining levee systems, administering grant programs, and providing technical floodplain mapping and data services. The Division oversees operations for assets tied to the State Water Project and coordinates flood emergency operations with the United States Army Corps of Engineers and Federal Emergency Management Agency regional offices. It enforces policies stemming from statutes such as the California FloodSAFE initiative and integrates planning with the California Environmental Quality Act reviews and Endangered Species Act considerations when projects affect habitat.
Major programs encompass the FloodSAFE California program, the Central Valley flood protection plan connected to the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, and regional levee maintenance initiatives like the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency projects. Significant projects include retrofit and setback levee efforts in the Yolo Bypass, floodplain restoration in the Cosumnes River Preserve, and urban flood resilience projects in the Los Angeles River and San Francisco Bay Area watersheds. The Division also manages grant programs that support local projects funded in partnership with the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank and federal cost-shared projects with the Department of Homeland Security.
The Division maintains statewide floodplain mapping and geospatial datasets, coordinated with the National Flood Insurance Program and the FEMA Flood Map Service Center efforts. It produces specialized products using data from the United States Geological Survey stream gage network, the National Hydrography Dataset, and satellite data from Landsat and Sentinel-1. These services support planners, local agencies, insurers, and researchers working on projects in the Sacramento River, San Joaquin River, Klamath River, and coastal estuaries influenced by Pacific Ocean storm surge. Data stewardship aligns with standards used by the California Spatial Information Library and allows interoperability with the National Water Model.
During flood events the Division activates incident management structures compatible with the National Incident Management System and coordinates with the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, local operational areas, and federal partners including the United States Coast Guard where coastal flooding is involved. Operations include real-time reservoir releases with entities operating Shasta Dam, Folsom Dam, and Oroville Dam; levee patrols and temporary floodfight measures; and public information coordination with county offices and media outlets. The Division also leads after-action reviews and integrates lessons into the California Flood Preparedness Week and statewide emergency planning.
The Division leverages partnerships with federal agencies such as the United States Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, tribal governments, local flood districts like the Reclamation Districts of California, and non‑profits such as the Nature Conservancy and California Coastal Conservancy. Funding sources include state bond measures approved by voters, appropriations from the California State Budget, federal cost‑share programs, and grants from entities like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Interior. Collaborative governance structures include flood management roundtables convened with regional stakeholders such as the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission.
Category:California water management