ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : Time to Move Against Flooding

For several years now, authorities have been racing against time to build critically needed flood-control protections into the Santa Ana River before a major flood comes. After more than 20 years of negotiating, a formal agreement clearing the way for the river improvements has at last been signed.

While federal, state and local representatives have tried to come up with a compromise on the costs and construction of the flood-control improvements, hanging over their heads has been the U.S. Army’s Corps of Engineers’ ominous designation tabbing the Santa Ana River as the worst potential flood threat in the Western United States. If a flood occurred, it could take an estimated 3,000 lives and cause billions of dollars in property damage.

Last Thursday’s agreement by Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino county officials and the Army Engineers finally gets the $1.1-billion project moving. The goal now must be to get the flood-control protections in as quickly as possible.