Category Archives: Floodplains

Can Sacramento Valley reservoirs adapt to flooding with a warmer climate?

Posted on June 25, 2023 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

  by Jay Lund and Ann Willis Editor’s note: This is a blog that was originally posted on 6/25/17. Since publication of the blog, there has been interesting newer research about running the San Joaquin rim dams for “functional flows” … Continue reading →

Posted in California Water, Climate Change, Floodplains | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Floodplains in California’s Future

Posted on September 10, 2017 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

by Peter Moyle, Jeff Opperman, Amber Manfree, Eric Larson, and Joan Florshiem The flooding in Houston is a reminder of the great damages that floods can cause when the defenses of an urban area are overwhelmed.  It is hard to … Continue reading →

Posted in Around the World, Climate Change, flood, Floodplains, reconciliation | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Preliminary Analysis of Hurricane Harvey Flooding in Harris County, Texas

Posted on September 1, 2017 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

by Nicholas Pinter, Nicholas Santos, and Rui Hui Located in Harris County, Texas, Houston is the 4th most populous city in the US.  The flooding now unfolding in the Houston area is a human and economic disaster likely to rank … Continue reading →

Posted in Around the World, flood, Floodplains, Planning and Management, Tools | Tagged , , | 42 Comments

Trump Killed Obama’s Flood Protection Rule Two Weeks Ago

Posted on August 30, 2017 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

by Nicholas Pinter This post was originally published as an op-ed in Fortune. Whether or not you like President Donald Trump, the current administration has not been gifted with great timing. Just 10 days before Hurricane Harvey made landfall, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Around the World, Climate Change, flood, Floodplains, Planning and Management | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Evading Dam-Nation to Build a Working Floodplain on the Cosumnes River

Posted on March 12, 2017 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

by Michelaina Johnson This winter’s barrage of rain storms has driven most Central Valley rivers to the point of near record-breaking flooding, and the Cosumnes River is no exception. On February 10th, the Cosumnes hit the second highest peak flow … Continue reading →

Posted in flood, Floodplains | Tagged | 6 Comments

What do stream fish do during flood flows?

Posted on March 5, 2017 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

By Peter B. Moyle My local stream, Putah Creek, looks like a river these days.  Water is pouring down the Glory Hole of Lake Berryessa and rushing in muddy turmoil from the ‘dry’ creeks that are its main tributaries.   The … Continue reading →

Posted in Fish, flood, Floodplains, Salmon | Tagged | 1 Comment

Yolo Bypass: the inland sea of Sacramento

Posted on February 20, 2017 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

By Megan Nguyen Land or Sea? The recent rains early this year brought much needed relief from the five-year drought in California. Reservoirs are full, mountains are covered with snow, and flood control structures are being used, some for the … Continue reading →

Posted in flood, Floodplains, Planning and Management | Tagged | 7 Comments

The Horror of a Salmon’s Wheel of Misfortune

Posted on October 30, 2016 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

By Miranda Tilcock Salmon in the Stream 10 little salmon eggs, resting in a redd 1 was covered in silt, now the egg is dead 9 little alevin, with their yolks attached, 1 was washed away, and never made it … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservation, education, Fish, Floodplains, Salmon, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 6 Comments

St. Helena, California: Dealing with a Field-of-Dreams Levee, Residual Risk, and a Flood of Controversy

Posted on July 17, 2016 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

by Nicholas Pinter A new $37.2[1] million levee in the town of St. Helena, on the floodplain of the Napa River, has a colorful history and has been stirring local acrimony since its inception.  This project illustrates both the attraction … Continue reading →

Posted in Floodplains, Planning and Management, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Eager for rain – and floods – on California’s floodplain playground: the lower Cosumnes River

Posted on January 17, 2016 by UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

By Andrew Nichols California’s drought plays on, and a recent series of storms to start the New Year have done little to change this broken record.  However, promising weather conditions suggest a change of tune may be coming soon.  This … Continue reading →

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