Nacimiento, San Antonio dams will get $17 million for safety projects
Funds will allow for the design and permitting of a replacement spillway at San Antonio, rehabilitation of the Nacimiento ‘plunge pool’
– Last Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 104, which, among other things, provides $17 million of funding for dam safety projects at Nacimiento and San Antonio Reservoirs, which are owned and operated by the Monterey County Water Resources Agency. Following the failure of the Oroville Dam spillway, the California Department of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams, initiated a state-wide reassessment of dams and found, along with many others, Nacimiento and San Antonio to have deficiencies requiring attention, according to a report by the governor. Construction of the dams, which were completed in 1957 and 1967 respectively, was entirely locally funded, as has been the subsequent decades of operation and maintenance.
The funds will allow for the design and permitting of a replacement spillway at San Antonio over the next two years and rehabilitation of the Nacimiento “plunge pool” over the next four.
“The governor’s welcomed action was helped made possible through the leadership of our local elected officials Senator Laird, Speaker Rivas, Senator Caballero, Assemblymember Addis, and Monterey County Supervisors Alejo and Lopez, as well as the support and action of many stakeholders,” general manager Ara Azhderian said, the commitment of these individuals to collaborate towards improving the future for the people of Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties is unquestionable and a key component of the success in securing this critical funding.”
The Monterey County Water Resources Agency’s mission is to manage water resources sustainably while minimizing impacts from flooding for present and future generations. For more information, visit https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/government-links/water-resources-agency
