Support efforts to make protecting our water, health and communities a priority!

The Problem:

• The 1,600-mile Bay Delta - Central Valley levee system protects drinking water for 22 million Californians, property valued at $47 billion and irrigation water for 3 million acres of farmland.
• In the event of a major flood, San Francisco Bay saltwater would migrate upstream contaminating our water supply and irrevocably changing the ecology of the delta.
• Many of the levees were hastily built 100 years ago by scraping dirt into piles in an effort to create farmland - these century-old levees were never designed to protect millions and millions of families and their homes.
• Many Bay Delta - Central Valley communities lie more than 20 feet below sea level putting them at extremely high risk in the event of levee failure.
• The Sacramento area has the lowest level of flood protection of any major urban area in the nation.
• The levee system in New Orleans was built to withstand a flood two and one half times stronger than the current Bay Delta - Central Valley system.

The Solution:

We need to send a clear message. We stand behind Senators Boxer and Feinstein as they fight to secure the resources we need to improve the Bay Delta - Central Valley levee infrastructure. Specifically, the Senators, along with the Governor and the Army Corps of Engineers, have identified twelve priority levee upgrade projects that need to be completed right away. We should heed the hard lessons from the Gulf Coast and proactively prioritize levee repair and maintenance, while ensuring that future planning balances the forces and needs of nature with the protection of our families. Please write to the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee and tell him to join Senators Boxer and Feinstein in protecting the health, safety and livelihood of California's at risk region by supporting full funding for the twelve projects they have identified.

* To view the project list and press announcement, please visit: http://feinstein.senate.gov/05releases/r-levee-ltr.htm

Sample Letter Date The Honorable Pete Domenici Chairman, Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee SD-127 U.S. Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Domenici: We have learned from our experiences with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that flood protection is a health and safety issue. In California, the 1,600-mile levee system surrounding the Bay Delta and Central Valley protects the drinking water for 22 million people and property valued at $47 billion. We need to take action today to prevent a Katrina-like catastrophic disaster from happening in our community. Our Senators Boxer and Feinstein, along with Governor Schwarzenegger, have identified twelve high priority projects totaling $92.65 million which are essential to protecting the health and safety of millions of Californians. As a concerned citizen living within this impacted region, I/we strongly urge you to support full funding for these important priorities. Sincerely, Your Name Your Address Your E-Mail Address