The year 2023 marked the beginning of an onset of climatic changes regarding flooding in Stockton and Delta communities. In January, arkstorms hit California and exposed decades of disinvestment in the Delta’s levee infrastructure and emergency response system. In March, Restore the Delta partnered with the San Joaquin Area Flood Control Agency (SJAFCA), tribal governments, San Francisco Estuary Institute, River Partners, as well as various CBOs and NGOs to begin the process to restore Mormon Slough. This channel was rejected for levee upgrades in previous decades by the Army Corps of Engineers due to low benefit cost ratios and low economic development analysis.
Restore the Delta plays the role as a convener and the project itself is co-led by their Flood and Land Restoration Manager Artie Valencia. The restoration coalition hopes to not only create a plan for needed flood infrastructure but also to implement a floodplain restoration project that will provide multi benefits for regional environmental and economic development needs. Additionally, the restoration plan is partnering with housing agencies to create an adjacent plan for the unhoused populations as well as create additional affordable housing. The overall goal is to begin creating an inclusive, holistic plan with enhanced flood protection, green spaces, increased recreation, community-driven housing, and a community-led economic development plan.
In 2022, Restore the Delta and American Rivers teamed up to support San Joaquin Area Flood Control Agency (SJAFCA) in their efforts to include the Stockton community in recreational park and flood infrastructure design in Van Buskirk. Restore the Delta and American Rivers work to ensure that the community is involved in these choices through outreach, communication and so much more. Beyond that, we also advocate for a better plan when it comes to providing holistic restoration and protection for the community. This area is especially vulnerable to flooding as this is the point where French Camp Slough and the San Joaquin River in Stockton converge and back up. During extreme unpredictable rain events due to climate change, residents that have been redlined into living in flood zones right behind the Van Buskirk levee face significant flood dangers. Most of these communities are immigrant BIPOC communities that have been historically disinvested in on all fronts, especially flood protection. However, SJAFCA has done the work to ensure that the park’s levee will be upgraded by the Army Corps of Engineers. Though, there are many options for this change. One being a fix-in place levee that will apply changes to the already existing levee and the other is a setback levee option that will push the levee to allow room for a floodplain to be incorporated. Here at Restore the Delta, we want to ensure that in terms of project design, that the community is steering those choices, and making sure that this community receives complete flood protection through both levee upgrades and floodplain outlets.