Flood Prevention

The Pajaro River–Salsipuedes Creek Confluence Area Restoration Project is being advanced by the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency (PRFMA) as a complementary effort to the broader Pajaro River Flood Risk Management (PRFRM) Project.

The Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement (CRFREE) Project will be a multi-phase effort designed to reduce flood risk and restore ecological function at the confluence of the lower Carmel River and Carmel Lagoon.

This project is strengthening local management of the Salinas River Lagoon and the Old Salinas River channel, in Monterey County, as both a flood-control system and an estuarine ecosystem.

The Resilient Pajaro Estuary Program, led by the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, focuses on the acquisition and restoration of wetlands across multiple waterfront agricultural properties at the mouth of the Pajaro River.

The City of Santa Cruz is restoring and improving two key park areas along the San Lorenzo River — Jessie Street Marsh and San Lorenzo Park’s Riverlands. These projects will expand wetlands, reduce local flood risks, and create new places for people to connect with nature.

The Monterey Bay Living Shorelines Program (MBLSP) is a collaborative initiative between California State Parks, the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation, the Central Coast Wetlands Group, and Groundswell Ecology.

The Salinas River Flood Risk Reduction and Habitat Improvement Project is actively increasing channel capacity along the Salinas River to reduce flood damage to nearby agricultural lands, communities, and infrastructure while restoring ecological function.

This project represents the first major climate-resilience investment for the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (ESNERR) in the Kirby–North Marsh complex, the northeastern portion of Elkhorn Slough.

The Pajaro Storm Drain Maintenance District (PSDMD) is acting as the local sponsor for a United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Feasibility Analysis and Initial Project Design to reduce flood risk under the Continuing Authorities Program (CAP) Section 1135 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986.

The City of Santa Cruz is advancing a living shorelines and nature-based solutions project for the Main Beach and San Lorenzo River mouth to reduce flood risk, prevent coastal erosion and beach loss, improve habitat, and provide safe access for both the public and emergency response.