August 24, 2023

Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration

The Sacramento River West Side Levee District (SRWSLD), acting as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) lead agency, has made available for public review and comment an Initial Study and proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the Grimes Floodplain Restoration and Levee Resiliency Project (proposed project).

Project Description: SRWSLD, with funding from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), is proposing this project, which would consist of constructing a 1.8-mile-long slurry cutoff wall in the existing Sacramento River West Bank Levee System (SRWBLS), encroachment remediation, waterside hardening, establishment of an operations and maintenance area, and restoration of approximately 11 acres of floodplain for salmonids. DWR investigations have determined that the section of the SRWBLS north and south of, and directly adjacent to, the town of Grimes in Colusa County is vulnerable to seepage. Currently, Grimes is not mapped within a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) special flood hazard area; however, FEMA has initiated a remapping process for Colusa County. Initial results indicate that without remediation of the Sacramento River levees, FEMA will model the area assuming no levees are present. The goal of the proposed project is to increase flood resiliency a 100-year level of flood protection to the town of Grimes in a manner consistent with the 2012 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan and its 2017 update, including investments in multi-benefit flood projects (e.g., improvement of salmonid habitat). The construction phase will begin once the SRWSLD secures a State or Federal implementation grant. Construction is anticipated to begin no earlier than 2024.

Public Review Period: The proposed project’s IS/MND is available for review from August 30, 2022, to September 28, 2022, and may be downloaded here Grimes_ISMNDwAppendices or viewed at the following locations:

• SRWSLD: 975 Wilson Bend Road, Grimes, CA 95950
• Grimes Library: 240 Main Street, Grimes, CA 95950

Lead Agency Contact: Questions, comments, or requests for digital or physical copies may be directed to Ms. Meegan Nagy by email at mnagy@rd108.org; or in writing care of Sacramento River West Side Levee District, PO Box 50, Grimes, CA 95950; or by telephone at (530) 437-2221.