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DWR Workshop: Climate Change, Extreme Weather, and Central Valley Floods, February 14th

Posted by: Maven on January 17, 2012 at 7:21 am

dwr-logobig_thumb.gifFrom the Department of Water Resources:

“The Department of Water Resources (DWR) will hold a climate change workshop in West Sacramento on February 14.  The focus will be on the state of the science regarding potential climate change impacts on Central Valley floods, and examples of ongoing programs to reduce flood risk.  The workshop is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Department of Water Resources office, 3500 Industrial Boulevard.

This workshop is being held as a complementary event to Governor Brown’s December 15 conference on extreme climate risks and California’s future, which focused on the threats of extreme weather events to the state’s economy, business sectors, public health, and natural resources.   For background on the Governor’s conference, see: http://gov.ca.gov/ecrcf.php.

At the national level, 2011 extreme weather events set a new record for billion-dollar weather disasters, with estimated damages of $52 billion according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  Statistics such as these emphasize the need for planning to avoid impacts, and to be prepared to respond when extreme weather events happen.

Floods have always been a defining feature of California’s landscape.  In the great flood of 1862, newly-elected Governor Leland Stanford traveled to his downtown Sacramento inauguration via rowboat over flooded city streets.  Continuing Sacramento Valley flooding lead to the inclusion of the Sacramento River in the first “modern” congressional flood control legislation – the Flood Control Act of 1917, which also included the much larger Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.

The most recent in a long series of subsequent efforts to improve Central Valley flood management and flood risk reduction is DWR’s release of the Public Draft 2012 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan, pursuant to the Central Valley Flood Protection Act of 2008.  The draft plan can be found at: http://www.water.ca.gov/cvfmp/documents.cfm.

AGENDA

Department of Water Resources Workshop

Climate Change, Extreme Weather, and Central Valley Floods

February 14, 2012

Department of Water Resources office, 3500 Industrial Blvd, West Sacramento

10:00                     Welcome and opening remarks, Jeanine Jones, Interstate Resources Manager, DWR

10:20                     Central Valley flood climatology,  Mike Anderson, State Climatologist, DWR

10:50                     Climate change, extreme precipitation, and atmospheric rivers,  Kelly Redmond, Deputy Director, Western Regional Climate Center

11:20                     Draft Central Valley Flood Protection Plan,  Michael Mierzwa, FloodSAFE Program Management Office, DWR

12:00                     Lunch (on your own)

1:00                       Hazard warning capabilities, improvements in monitoring, Rob Hartman, Hydrologist in Charge, California-Nevada River Forecast Center, National Weather Service

1:25                        Progress on the Calwater research project, Guido Franco, California Energy Commission

1:45                        Potential adaptation opportunities, system reoperation,  Sean Sou, Statewide Infrastructure Investigations, DWR

2:10                        Potential adaptation opportunities, nonstructural floodplain management, Ricardo Pineda, Chief, Floodplain Management Risk Branch, DWR

2:40                        Discussion & wrap-up

The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the State Water Project, provides dam safety and flood control and inspection services, assists local water districts in water management and water conservation planning, and plans for future statewide water needs.

 

January 17, 2012 · Filed Under Climate change & water supply, Events

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