DR-4305-CA Public Notice 001

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) intends to provide federal financial assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) to the City of Santa Barbara, to rehabilitate a pump house and adjacent deteriorating drainage facilities, replace old pump engines to maximize pump performance and capacity, and upgrade a storm drainage system to increase runoff capacity in Santa Barbara County, California (proposed action). Pursuant to Executive Order 11988 (Floodplain Management), Executive Order 11990 (Protection of Wetlands), and FEMA’s implementing regulations at Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 9, FEMA hereby provides interested parties with a notice of its final decision and an explanation of the alternatives that were considered.

The overall purpose of the proposed action is to reduce flood hazards by renovating the existing Laguna Pump Station facility by repairing and/or replacing the identified structural components in the buildings that have reached critical condition and offer little capacity to resist lateral seismic loads. The projects will address the slope failures in the pump house forebay, and discharge channel walls that have been exacerbated by the progressive erosion of storm water runoff and burrowing squirrels. The proposed action will repair and/or replace other identified structurally deficient structures such as the cracked channel headwall and the deteriorating sea wall. Additionally, the proposed action will increase the Gutierrez Street storm drain system by improving its flow capacity to reduce the frequency of flooding north of Highway 101.

The project area encompasses multiple flood zones including the AH Zone, area of Special Flood Hazard Area (100-year floodplain, base floodplain), per Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) panel #06083C1387J, dated 9/28/2018. AH Zones are areas with a 1% annual chance of shallow flooding, usually in the form of a pond, with an average depth ranging from 1 to 3 feet. Base flood elevations derived from detailed analyses are shown at selected intervals within these zones. The AE Zone, area of Special Flood Hazard Area (100-year floodplain, base floodplain), per FIRM panel #06083C1391J, dated 9/28/2018. AE Zones are areas of the base floodplain where base flood elevations are provided. The AE FLOODWAY Zone, area of Special Flood Hazard Area (100-year floodplain, base floodplain), per FIRM panel #06083C1391J, dated 9/28/2018. A "Regulatory Floodway" means the channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than a designated height. The VE Zone, area of Special Flood Hazard Area (100-year floodplain, base floodplain), per FIRM panel #06083C1391J, dated 9/28/2018. VE Zones are coastal areas with a 1% or greater chance of flooding and an additional hazard associated with storm waves. Base flood elevations derived from detailed analyses are shown at selected intervals within these zones. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory Map shows an estuarine and marine deepwater wetland within the project area.

Maps of the project area and its location within the floodplain and estuarine and marine deepwater wetlands are available for public inspection. Parties interested in receiving a copy of either map should contact the FEMA Region IX Environmental Officer using contact information provided in this notice.

Two alternatives to the proposed action were considered: Alternative 1, No Action; and Alternative 2: Widen the Laguna Creek Channel. Alternative 1 would result in no action being taken to mitigate flood hazards. This Alternative is not recommended because the risk of flood hazards, including damage to property and people, would continue. Specific hazards include ponding north of the Highway 101, and continued erosion of the failing grouted rock slope north of the pump house leaving the building foundation vulnerable to catastrophic undermining, and potentially making the pump station facility inoperable creating potential risk for flooding and structure damage during storm events. Alternative 2 included potentially widening the Laguna Creek channel, similar to the Lower Mission Creek Flood Control Project, by entering into a joint effort with the County of Santa Barbara Flood Control and Water Conservation District, and US Army Corps of Engineers. This Alternative is not recommended because of its lengthy and expensive process which can take decades to implement due to topographic conditions and environmental constraints being major concerns with this approach. Under Alternative 2, widening of the Union Pacific Railroad Bridge and the East Cabrillo Bridge would be necessary as these locations serve as pinch points for the channel which would add substantial costs and extensive coordination with the Union Pacific Railroad. Therefore, Alternative 2 is not feasible. FEMA has determined that the proposed project is the only practicable alternative available; therefore, the proposed action must be located in the floodplain in order to serve its intended purpose.

The proposed action, rehabilitate the Laguna Pump Station facility, and upgrade the Gutierrez Street Storm Drain system, would have no significant adverse impact on the floodplain and would benefit the area by reducing the risk of flooding and flood damage. Therefore, the City of Santa Barbara is proposing to use HMGP funds to improve its flood resiliency and maximize efficiency by repairing and/or replacing numerous identified deficiencies, including the outdated and inefficient pump engines, failing channel side slopes, discharge channel walls, cracked channel headwall, building masonry walls, roof enclosure, steel hardware connections, deteriorating sea wall and other surrounding structurally deficient structures, adding additional catch basins, and increasing the size of the collector drain improvements. The City of Santa Barbara has declared that the proposed action conforms to local floodplain standards, and would be responsible for the management, construction, and maintenance of the proposed action.

Additional information about FEMA’s proposed action may be requested by writing the FEMA Region IX Environmental Officer at FEMA, 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200, Oakland, California 94607, or fema-rix-ehp-documents@fema.dhs.gov. All requests should be received no later than 15 days after publication of this notice. No action will be taken before this date.