Napa County Applauds $16.6M Allocation for Napa River Flood Control

Napa County officials celebrated today an allocation of more than $16 million in federal monies for a Dry Bypass Channel to divert Napa River water from the downtown area.

"We're not surprised -- but it's a real pleasure," said Napa County Supervisor Mark Luce after a report on the project from county Public Works Director Steve Lederer.

The Dry Bypass represents the next major step in Napa County's $130 million worth of flood control efforts over the past 12 years .

"This bypass will allow for about 30 percent of the water flow in a major rain event to move out of the downtown area," Lederer said.

Lederer told supervisors today that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which will administer the project, will select a contractor this summer. Construction is likely to begin by the fall, he said.

The dry channel -- in effect, a large ditch -- will stretch from the old Cinedome movie theater parking lot on the west side of Soscol Avenue, under the Soscol Avenue bridge, through the parking lot of the Napa Flood Control Office at 1st and Soscol, and out toward the Oxbow Public Market area, Lederer said.

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, announced the award late yesterday via a news release, Lederer said.

Thompson said in his announcement that the Dry Bypass was the major key to "provide 100-year flood protection to the City of Napa and support business development and job creation throughout the community," he said.

According to an economic analysis study requested by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, constructing the Bypass Channel will represent no more than 4 percent of the entire project cost, while providing more than 30 percent of the flood protection benefits.

“This project will be a lynchpin of economic development and job creation in our community for decades to come,” Thompson said. “A lot of time and effort went into this. We worked countless hours with Senator Dianne Feinstein, community leaders and stakeholders, and now we can finally say we’re finishing the job.

"Because of this project, thousands of jobs will be created and supported," Thompson said. "This is truly a great day for Napa.”