The Flood Control Programs section is comprised of four sub-sections whose primary function is managing the County's floodplains. This section provides development support to developers and other agencies and manages the Flood Control Capital Improvement Program.
Advance Planning
Prepares regional facilities studies and reports identifying system deficiencies and problems on OCFCD facilities and recommends solutions to provide 100-year channel capacity
Reviews conceptual proposals including hydrology and hydraulic calculations for related regional flood control facilities
Acts as liaison and monitors and coordinates federal interest projects within OCFCD facilities
Provides support in implementing water quality features within OCFCD's facilities that are required for participants in the County’s NPDES Program
Prepares cooperative agreements with private and public interests on special projects
Performs County Property Permit reviews on permits affecting OCFCD facilities
Negotiates A-E contract agreements with consultants for professional/engineering services and manages contracts
Provides project management services on special projects
Provides drainage and flood control information to other County departments for purposes of NPDES permits, annexations, incorporations, etc.
Programming
Provides staff support to the City Engineers Flood Control Advisory Committee (CEFCAC) in identifying project priorities
Provides floodplain information to residents in unincorporated Orange County
Prepares preliminary engineering studies and cost estimates
Prepares applications for grant funds and cooperative funding agreements
Prepares flood control programs for the upcoming fiscal years and the multi year plan
Monitors FEMA regulations and help administer and manage the County's floodplain program
Submits Letters of Map Revision submittals to FEMA for floodplain boundary changes resulting from OCFCD's public works projects in the unincorporated regions of Orange County
Reviews legislation, site plans, permit applications, use permits, environmental documentation, city originated proposals, proposed annexations, etc. for impacts to flood control facilities or floodplains
Maintains Architect-Engineer (A-E) database for agency use in hiring A-Es
Development Support
Prepares regional facilities studies and reports identifying system deficiencies and problems and recommend solutions to provide 100-year channel capacity
Acts as liaison with project proponent and monitors projects
Reviews Specific Plans, Feature Plans, Environmental Impact Report's (EIR) and engineering studies
Prepares cooperative agreements with, private and public interests; Coordinate multi-agency projects with other divisions and entities
Hydrology
Maintains hydrologic data for OCFCD facilities
Establishes design discharges for regional flood control channels through the preparation of hydrology reports
Coordinates, reviews, and approves hydrology studies and runoff management plans for regional flood control facilities prepared by private developers
Provides assistance on interpretation of criteria of the Orange County Hydrology Manual and its Addendum
Provides hydrologic review and support to other OC Public Works divisions, public agencies, and consultants who use the Orange County Hydrology Manual
Negotiates A-E contracts for hydrology studies and reports and administers contracts when executed
Reviews CEQA documents received from OC Public Works or non-County lead submittals for impacts to regional hydrology and OCFCD facilities
Flood Control Design
The goals of the Flood Control Design section align with the overall goals of OC Public Works, and more specifically to the OC Flood’s goals. The Design section is responsible for design and analysis of flood control capital improvement projects. Facilities that are typically included in this effort are: flood control channels, creeks, rivers, dams, retarding basins, pump stations, storm drains and other flood control infrastructure.
Design engineers are now being challenged to include multiple objectives for flood control facilities. As an example, creative water quality enhancements are now considered within each capital project, when feasible. The design of such flood control facilities has also become increasingly challenging, as the regulatory environment continues to redefine its approaches to permitting projects. Design staff work closely with the OC Public Works Regulatory Permits section to ensure proper consideration of issues that are of concern to the environmental regulators.
To ensure timely completion of projects within a defined budget, Design staff also work closely with the Project Management sub-section of the OC Public Works Construction Section who are charged with project managing higher priority projects. There are two major flood control pump stations and one channel system that are currently being project managed. As this sub-section gets further developed and staffed, other projects will be added to their responsibilities.
The Design section also serves a secondary function to support development within Orange County . This involvement includes reviewing/approving hydrology/hydraulic submittals, concept studies, permit applications, master plans, runoff management plans, reports, environmental documents for hydrologic/hydraulic and other flood control related policy issues.
Finally, this section has and continues to develop technical flood control expertise. This expertise is often shared with the local engineering community through staff-presented technical seminars and other presentations. This involvement in the profession has gained the County a very highly respectable position in the engineering community.
Santa Ana River Project Section (SARP)
The Santa Ana River Mainstem Project is the largest public works project undertaken by Orange County government. In recognition of the scope and management complexities of the Mainstem Project, the Orange County Board of Supervisors in 1989 authorized the establishment of a project management section (the SARP) whose responsibilities include planning support, engineering, real estate, legal, and administration services. SARP staff represent and coordinate work among all responsible organization elements within Orange County, the Corps, and the other Local Sponsor organizations. For purposes of efficiency, the SARP section is comprised of two sub-sections: Real Estate/ Finance/Engineering and Cooperative Projects.
Real Estate/Finance/Engineering
Real Estate/Finance
Program Management for SAR/Prado Dam Project real property acquisition (about 380 ownerships)
Prepare annual budget requests and long range financial plans
Coordinate audits with State and Federal agencies
Monitor and report on project schedules/status, and expenditures
Coordinate with Local, State, Federal agencies on land use, water rights, water conservation, and related issues impacting OCFCD property along SAR Mainstem
Engineering
Seven Oaks Dam
Act as Reservoir Regulation Team at Seven Oaks Dam in San Bernardino County for water control operations.
Coordinate maintenance at Seven Oaks Dam.
Provide water control training and practices for backup Reservoir Regulation Team and Dam Tenders in San Bernardino and Orange County.
Coordinate and participate in annual inspection and repairs of the Dam
Coordinate preparation of reports to address environmental impacts from the Seven Oaks Dam.
Coordinate with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) in the development and implementation of a Multi Species Habitat Management Plan (MSHMP) for the operation of Seven Oaks Dam to ensure the continued survival of endangered species, such as the Woolly-star plant and the San Bernardino Kangaroo Rat.
Prado Basin - Prado Dam
Coordinate with Corps and affected cities on the design of several earthen dikes in conjunction with the raising of Prado Dam.
Coordinate with Corps and utility owners to identify and remediate utilities that interfere with the Main Stem Project.
Cooperative Projects
Santa Ana River
Coordinate between Corps, OC Public Works, and other public agencies regarding the planning, design and construction of SAR Mainstem Project features.
Protection and/or relocation of utilities affected by the SAR Mainstem Project, including the Santa Ana River Interceptor (SARI) Line.
Review and comment on encroachment and other permits affecting the Santa Ana River.
Coordination with the Corps on landscape improvement projects along the Santa Ana River.
Coordinate Reach 1 & 2 dredging and vegetation removal and obtaining necessary permits with regulatory agencies.
Complete the Habitat Management Plan (HMP) for the Santa Ana River Canyon (Reach 9) area, and implement the HMP via the establishment of a conservation monitoring committee that will hold regular meetings to address issues relating to ongoing O&M and recreation-related activities in the canyon, the HMP is being updated to include additional species that were listed as Endangered or threatened since the last update.
Obtain required environmental permits/clearances from resource agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish & Game, to construct flood control improvements and perform operations and maintenance (O&M) activities in the Santa Ana River.
Watershed Studies
Coordinate with the Corps of Engineers on studies for flood control improvements for the Westminster – East Garden Grove and San Juan Creek watersheds.
Trail and Class I Bikeway Planning
Use Proposition 84 funding to complete the Santa Ana River Trail and Class I Bikeway between Gypsum Canyon Road and the Orange County line.
Implement trail projects and improvements along flood control facilities.
The OC Flood Division consists of three sections: 