Sacramento organization fights back against U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project

CBS News

24-05-2025

SACRAMENTO — The Central Valley Flood Protection Board has a big decision to make when it comes to repairing and upgrading levees in the Sacramento region.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working on a project to do just that, but in the process, trees and other vegetation will have to be wiped out.
One group is pushing back.
"The amount of riparian vegetation that's been removed in the last 50 years is amazing. We're down to less than 10 percent of what we had 50 years ago," said Pete Spaulding with American River Trees.
American River Trees is a grassroots organization focused on protecting Sacramento's dwindling riparian forest. But in one of the country's most at-risk areas for flooding, the Corps says levee repairs are critical.
"We studied it. We wrote up a report. We sent it to Congress, and they've ordered us to do this," said Colonel Chad Caldwell with the Corps.
Since we last reported on this project back in January 2024, the Corps has reduced the added protections of the levee from 11 miles to six miles roughly between Howe and Watt avenues. Within that six miles are hundreds of trees, critters and people who live along the river.
"I live by the river. I understand I'm at risk for flooding," said concerned resident Jacqueline Delu. "The river itself and the trees and the plants and animals who live there have no voice."
A meeting that was expected to last a few hours dragged on for roughly eight hours.
"We know that there needs to be work done to prevent erosion along the parkway. We're challenging the designs that have been chosen and construction methods that have been chosen," Spaulding said.
American River Trees is calling the Corps' studies outdated. They're asking to use less destructive, nature-based methods that have since become more advanced with bioengineering technology.
"It's all using vegetation to control erosion and to stabilize banks," Spaulding said.
"The elephant in the room, the final document states there will be between 675 and 715 trees in the footprint total. However, we are going to protect over 1,500 trees," Caldwell said.
American River Trees did not agree with the final document presented at Friday's board meeting. They are asking for more thorough studies, citing the few old-growth heritage oak trees on the chopping block.
"What we don't want to do is lose the bank, the levees and the people. So, yeah. Unfortunately, we are going to lose some trees, but we are also going to stabilize that part of the river so it can grow back," said Rick Johnson, the executive director of the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency.
But American River Trees says taking out the trees now will add to the crisis surrounding our climate.
"You don't have the healthy forest for supporting all types of wildlife, for cleaning the air. You don't get that in just five or 10 years. That takes generations to achieve," Spaulding said.
A final date for a vote by the board has not been reached yet, but is expected soon. If the project is approved, the work could begin as early as this fall.