Conferees Back Santa Ana River Project Funds : Flood control: President is expected to OK appropriations package that contains $90 million for construction next year in O.C., two counties upstream.

House and Senate negotiators have agreed to spend more than $90 million next year to continue work on the massive Santa Ana River flood-control project in Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

The allocation represents half the $180 million in construction money that the House-Senate conference committee set aside for California water projects in the 1993 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

The accord on a $22-billion appropriations bill for energy and water development also calls for spending more than $35 million for work on the federally owned Central Valley water project, much of it for environmental improvements. The extensive system of dams and canals supplies about 20% of the state’s water for agriculture, homes and businesses.

In addition to construction money, the budget agreement would provide $73 million to operate and maintain California’s existing flood-control, navigation and other water projects, and more than $25 million for studies and planning.

A report detailing the energy and water agreement was made public Wednesday.

The compromise legislation is all but sure to win final congressional approval, perhaps as early as this week, and appears likely to be signed by President Bush. The energy and water agreement calls for spending about $413 million less than the President requested in his budget message last January. It also includes $517 million for an atom smasher, the superconducting super collider, that is strongly supported by the White House.

California lawmakers said they were pleased with the accord.

“California won in this appropriations process,” Republican Sen. John Seymour said. “Our rivers, harbors, flood-control projects, labs and fish and wildlife resources will all receive the federal assistance they need.”

The lion’s share of California money will go to the Santa Ana River project, the largest flood-control program in the nation, which ultimately will cost $1.5 billion. The federal government will pay about two-thirds of the cost.

The Army Corps of Engineers has identified the Santa Ana River as the greatest flood threat west of the Mississippi and has estimated that a catastrophic flood along the 75-mile sweep of the river could cost 3,000 lives and $18 billion in property damage.

“Kauai, that was about $2 to $3 billion. Florida was more than that, about $7 billion (in damage). Eighteen billion is an absolute mind blower,” said Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove), one of the Orange County congressmen who has fought for continued funding of the Santa Ana River flood-control program.

Dornan, one of the President’s strongest allies in Congress, said he is confident that Bush will sign the water bill.

Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach), who voted against the energy and water bill when it was considered by the House earlier this year, said he will support the final version of the legislation.

Cox said at the time that he cast a no vote to protest the House’s decision to cut funds for the super collider, money that was restored by the conference committee.

“This is exactly what I have been working for all along,” Cox said. “The Santa Ana River project is exactly where we hoped it would be.

“Orange County has not asked too much or too often. This is an important project, and all of the members of the House Appropriations Committee have been well educated about it.” he said.

The Santa Ana River flood-control program has three major components--the new Seven Oaks Dam in San Bernardino County, an enlarged Prado Dam in Riverside County, and major channel improvements along the 31-mile stretch of the river from Prado Dam, through Orange County and on to the Pacific Ocean. Plans call for completion by the year 2000.

Other construction funds included in the energy and water bill include:

* $16.2 million for flood-control work along five miles of the San Luis Rey River near Oceanside in San Diego County. The $62.9-million project is to be finished in September, 1994.

* $10 million for channel work and fish and wildlife habitat improvements along 2.5 miles of the Guadalupe River in Santa Clara County. The project, to cost $133.6 million, is to be finished by September, 1996.

* $9.1 million for flood-control basins and reservoirs on Redbank and Francher creeks, and enlargement of an existing dam on Big Dry Creek in Fresno County. The $66-million project is scheduled to be finished by the end of next year.

* $3.2 million for dredging 7.5 miles of ship channels in Oakland Harbor to a depth of 42 feet. The project, to cost $80.6 million, is to be completed by July, 1995.

Sen. Alan Cranston, a Democrat, said he was particularly pleased that the legislation includes millions to improve fish and wildlife habitats, especially along the Trinity River, which, Cranston said, “has been devastated by erosion.”

Included in the money for the Central Valley Project, operated by the Interior Department’s Bureau of Reclamation, is $10.3 million for the Trinity River restoration program; $10.5 million for a diversion dam and other work on the Sacramento River to help restore its fish population; and $4.4 million to protect the Suisun Marsh in the Sacramento River Delta.

Larry Devick, chief of the Army Corps of Engineers’ programs division, noted that the House-Senate compromise includes about $130 million more for corps programs than requested by the President. The corps is responsible for the bulk of the nation’s water projects, along with the Bureau of Reclamation.

In Los Angeles County, the bill would provide nearly $5 million in operating funds for flood-control and drainage projects and another $3.1 million to study flood-control improvements. The compromise includes $2.4 million for maintaining Long Beach and Los Angeles harbors, and $900,000 to study harbor improvements.