New Napa River floodwalls underway with $48.3M federal funding
The Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has broken ground on a new phase of the Napa River/Napa Creek Flood Protection Project.
Earlier this year, the district and the corps signed an agreement securing approximately $48.3 million in federal funding for the project, which will support construction of remaining floodwalls in two key reaches of the river: north of the Napa River bypass and extending south from the Hatt Building to Imola Avenue.
Each segment includes approximately one mile of floodwall along the western bank of the Napa River.
As part of the agreement, the Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District will manage construction and seek federal reimbursement for the authorized work as it is completed.
Upon completion of this phase, flood protection will be in place along the west side of the Napa River, covering residential and commercial areas currently within the floodplain. A key community benefit will be the anticipated remapping of the floodplain, which is expected to remove many properties from the requirement to carry flood insurance.
This phase also includes riverbank restoration and rehabilitation, as well as an extension of the Napa River Trail from the River Terrace Inn northward to Lincoln Avenue, where it will connect with an existing segment continuing to Trancas Street. The project will include a lighted pedestrian crossing at Lincoln Ave., allowing for a continuous, walkable path from Trancas Street to Kennedy Park. Construction is expected to be completed in early 2028.
The Napa River/Napa Creek Flood Protection Project aims to provide 100-year flood protection for the city of Napa through a “living river” design that protects property from floods and implements strategies that minimize the disruption and alteration of the river habitat.
The Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District is governed by an 11-member board of elected officials, including all five Napa County supervisors, the mayors of Napa, St. Helena, American Canyon, Yountville, and Calistoga, and one Napa City Council member.
