[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 31, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E94]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY FLOOD 
                            PROTECTION BOARD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DORIS O. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 31, 2012

  Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Central 
Valley Flood Protection Board as they celebrate their 100th 
Anniversary. It is a great pleasure to recognize the Board's long 
standing dedication to flood protection projects and flood management 
in the Central Valley. As Board members, staff and agency partners 
gather to celebrate this milestone, I ask all my colleagues to join me 
in honoring the key role the organization plays in protecting millions 
of Californians from a potentially devastating flood.
  The Central Valley Flood Protection Board was created by the 
California Legislature in 1911. The Board's role is to serve as a 
liaison between the State of California, local residents, property 
owners, cities and counties, and the United States government. The 
Board works closely with the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure that the 
Central Valley receives the highest level of flood protection possible, 
while addressing a number of financial, environmental, and engineering 
challenges.
  Over the last century, the Board has maintained a wide variety of 
Central Valley flood protection systems and infrastructure along the 
Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, and their tributaries. This 
encompasses 1,600 miles of levees, 107 million acres of land, and 1,300 
miles of designated floodways. The Congressional District that I 
represent is home to the City of Sacramento, which sits at the 
confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers. It is without doubt 
that the Board's investment decisions have helped improve the safety 
for each of us that call Sacramento home.
  In 2007, the California Legislature and the governor signed 
legislation that changed the name of the Central Valley Flood 
Protection and expanded the Board's responsibilities and authorities. 
The Board remains responsible to the citizens of California to ensure 
that the flood management system within the Central Valley meets the 
ever-mounting challenges of the 21st Century. This includes working 
with the Corps of Engineers on vegetation management and the California 
Department of Water Resources on a new Central Valley Flood Protection 
Plan.
  The Board is led by Chair Benjamin Carter, who serves alongside Jane 
Dolan, Teri Rice, Francis ``Butch'' Hodgkins, Emma Suarez, John Brown 
and Michael Villines. The Board's Executive Officer is Jay Punia.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to the Central Valley Flood 
Protection Board and their continuous commitment to providing the 
Central Valley with ever-improving levels of flood protection. The 
Board has contributed immensely to the safety and vitality of 
California's Central Valley. As Board members and staff gather to 
celebrate their 100th anniversary, I ask all my colleagues to join me 
in honoring their outstanding work in providing flood protection for 
the residents of the Central Valley.

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