Approve and authorize the Director of Community Services to sign Agreement No. 2024-FMAP-CSA-6-01 between County Service Area No. 6 and the California Department of Water Resources, in the amount of $249,900, for 2024 levee operations and maintenance activities; adopt a resolution accepting funds; and adopt a budget resolution increasing the Department of Community Services, Natural Resources Division FY 2023-24 budget by $100,000. (No general fund impact) (4/5 vote required) (Lindbo/Sabatini)

The Knights Landing Levee System ("KLLS") is part of the Sacramento River Flood Control Project ("SRFCP").  The SRFCP was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1917 as Public Law 367 during the 64th Congress, and was later modified in 1928, 1937, and 1941. The KLLS consists of three levee segments with a total length of approximately 15.2 miles. County Service Area No. 6 ("CSA-6"), which was established in 1975 and is governed by the Yolo County Board of Supervisors, is the local agency responsible for operations and maintenance ("O&M") of approximately 6 miles of levee in the middle of the KLLS. CSA-6's responsibility runs along the Sacramento River's right bank from the Knights Landing Ridge Cut outfall gates downstream to the Fremont Weir. The levee is part of Unit No. 127 of the SRFCP with O&M standards prescribed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.  All CSA-6 services are paid for by a percentage of property taxes.

In late 2018, the California Department of Water Resources ("DWR") announced the creation of the Flood Maintenance Assistance Program ("FMAP") which made State funds available for Local Maintaining Agencies, like CSA-6, and Maintenance Areas to perform eligible maintenance activities.  The FMAP program was created to ensure State Plan of Flood Control facilities are properly maintained and have sufficient resources, including funding, to meet applicable federal regulations and O&M manual requirements. An important component of this program is that local matching funds are not required in order to obtain this funding.

CSA-6 has participated in the FMAP program on an annual basis since the program was created. Over that time, CSA-6 has received approximately $575,700 in no-match-required grant funding. On September 26, 2023, the Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution No. 23-140 authorizing the Department of Community Services ("DCS") to submit a proposal to DWR for FMAP funding for the 2024 calendar year funding cycle. In early November 2023, DCS staff was notified that CSA-6 was awarded $249,900 in FMAP funding.

Natural Resources Division staff collaborated with the Office of County Counsel, MBK Engineers (the County's contracted District Engineer), and the California Department of Water Resources.

The Competitive Bid Process is not required for the approval and execution of this agreement; however, Natural Resources Division staff will abide by all County Procurement policies when contracting with vendors to perform the work funded by the agreement.