Amid a drought, Napa County is preparing to protect more than 2,000 city of Napa properties from the next flood.

The county learned earlier this year that the stalled Napa River flood control project will receive $48.3 million in federal funds. That has local flood control officials talking about the final round of projects.
Step one has been meeting with officials from the federal partner, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, by Zoom. Four flood control projects totaling about $94 million are to be done with a mixture of federal, local, developer and grant money.

The goal is to finally fulfill the promise made by Measure A, the now-defunct, half-cent flood control sales tax passed by local voters in 1998 — to end Napa River flooding that damages homes and businesses.

“We’re really excited to now have the funding to see it to the end,” said Richard Thomasser, manager of the Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District.

Flood control work has already dramatically reshaped the local stretch of the Napa River. Flood control terraces, bridge replacements at Third and First streets and Imola Avenue, the Veterans Memorial Park renovation and river promenade are a sampling of the projects.

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