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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Res 2168 1973-01-22r.. RESOLUTION NUMBER a / 6 / A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEAL BEACH REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS APPROPRIATE SUFFICIENT FUNDS FOR COMPLETION OF THE UNITED STATES CORPS OF ENGINEERS STUDY OF THE FLOOD HAZARD OF THE SANTA ANA RIVER BASIN ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS, AND FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF FLOOD CONTROL MEASURES NECESSARY TO ALLEVIATE FUTURE FLOODING. WHEREAS, the United States Corps of Engineers was requested to study the potential flood hazard from runoff in the Santa Ana River drainage area in 1962, but did not start until 1964; and WHEREAS, the Study was supposed to be finished by 1969 so that action could be taken to avoid a potential disaster; and WHEREAS, that Study will now be an interim report and will not be completed until 1974; and WHEREAS, preliminary reports from the Study indicate that Prado Dam, constructed in 1941, is inadequate to control a 200 -year or "standard project flood;" and WHEREAS, preliminary reports from the Study indicate that the Santa Ana River channel currently has a capacity of only 35,000 cubic feet of water per second and is inadequate to contain the estimated 150,000 cubic feet of water per second of a 200 -year or "standard project flood;" and WHEREAS, preliminary reports indicate a 200 -year or "standard project flood" would engulf nearly all of the cities of Anaheim, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Westminster and parts of Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Orange, Santa Ana and Seal Beach with flood waters from two to seven feet deep, and affect the homes of 900,000 persons; and WHEREAS, the study originally expected to be completed in five years is now expected to take ten years due to lack of adequate funding by Congress; and WHEREAS, there appears to be a disturbing complacency on the part of our Legis- lators in not taking immediate action to protect the health, welfare and safety of our parents and children in that no action has been taken during the last five years; and WHEREAS, the Joint Sanitation District has now constructed a flood wall to break the water flow in an effort to reduce serious pollution of our water if a flood comes; and WHEREAS, it appears that the Santiago Creek would be the first place to break even if the Prado Dam holds, which means that Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach will be the first affected; and WHEREAS, the Army Corps of Engineers says that at the current rate of progress, it will be 20 years before the County can be extended flood control protection; and WHEREAS, in 1969, a 40 -year flood almost created a major crisis in our area and a 60 -year flood would damage a substantial part of the Fountain Valley School District; and WHEREAS, it appears that flood insurance to protect buildings, equipment and materials is prohibitive in cost due to this difficult situation; Resolution Number NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the United States Congress be requested to appropriate sufficient funds for completion of the United States Corps of Engineers study of the flood hazard of the Santa Ana River basin on an emergency basis, and for implementation of flood control measures necessary to alleviate future flooding. PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City .f Seal Beach, California, at a meeting thereof held on the day o 1973, by the following ; te: „La—// AYES: Councilmen NOES: Councilmen (tGyLQJ ABSENT: Councilmen S%/U?rL -Q • r f Mayo 1