California's Risk for Floods--Some Factoids

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Gary A. Patton
Executive Director
Planning and Conservation League

Why are we so anxious to get a strong flood policy package signed into law this year? Check out these startling flood factoids about the risks that California faces!

Part IV: Flood by the numbers

1: Ranking of Sacramento’s flood risk compared to other metropolitan areas in the U.S.

1 in 4: Chances of a home in a 100 year floodplain flooding within the term of a 30 year mortgage.

High: Rating of the flood risk at the main PCL Office (1107 9th St., Sacramento, CA 95814).

2600: Miles of levees in the Central Valley

1600: Miles of levees for which the State and California taxpayers hold financial liability. (California taxpayers are liable for any damages resulting from failure of State owned levees. In 2005, taxpayers paid $500 million in damages resulting from a 1986 levee failure in rural Northern California)

4.5: The number of times greater the capacity of the Yolo Bypass is compared to the Sacramento River. The Yolo Bypass has a capacity to handle a flow of 500,000 cubic feet per second. That’s reeeeeeeeal big.

$576,000: Median home price in California.

$250,000: Maximum coverage for flood damage to a structure provided by the national flood insurance program.