LOS ANGELES – Representatives from six Southern California flood control districts met Feb. 16 with officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to discuss topics related to flood channel and levee maintenance, environmental permitting, civil works programming and Southern California water conservation strategies.
“We had a very active discussion on some very important issues for the region,” said David Van Dorpe, chief of the civil works branch for the Corps’ Los Angeles District. “I think the districts understand the importance of speaking with a common voice when they present their issues in Washington.”
The representatives from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties meet on a periodic basis to discuss issues such as shoreline protection and renourishment, flood damage reduction, water supply and others that often extend beyond political boundaries. The meetings offer the agencies an opportunity to develop solutions on a regional basis, theoretically improving the likelihood of receiving federal funding for critical infrastructure projects.