The March 2023 floods highlighted the vulnerability of communities in Pajaro and Watsonville. A new plan is being developed to help avoid serious damage in the area. (Tyler Maldonado — Santa Cruz Local)
This article first appeared as a video on Noticias Watsonville. Join our WhatsApp group.
WATSONVILLE >> Residents of Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley are being asked to submit comments on the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan to help reduce impacts from future natural disasters.
Developed by the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency (PRFMA), the 214-page document identifies the region’s major hazards and outlines strategies to protect residents, businesses and other infrastructure in the area.
The March 2023 floods highlighted the vulnerability of communities in Pajaro and Watsonville. The PRFMA plan is the first of its kind developed by the agency, which was formed in 2021 by authorities from Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. Once approved, the plan will be updated every five years.
It covers the lower Pajaro River watershed, including the City of Watsonville, the community of Pajaro, surrounding unincorporated areas and agricultural lands across the two counties. The region includes communities that have historically faced repeated flooding and other hazards related to natural disasters.
What does the plan propose?
The draft identifies hazards such as river flooding, severe storms, extreme heat, drought, wildfires and earthquakes. It then outlines actions to reduce those risks through infrastructure projects, ecosystem protection,and community education and preparedness programs.
Unlike flood-control construction projects, this document serves as a roadmap that identifies risks and establishes priorities for reducing long-term impacts.
Why is public input important?
Although the plan must still undergo state and federal review before it can be adopted, PRFMA said input from people who live in the area can influence the final version and help shape disaster risk reduction priorities for the region.
“We will consider the community’s comments and evaluate those recommendations to determine whether they have already been included and whether they are applicable,” said Forrest Revere, PRFMA’s Environmental Program Manager.
Having an approved plan allows PRFMA to meet one of the requirements needed to apply for certain federal funding for hazard mitigation projects.
“We estimate the process, from submitting the application to final plan adoption, will take about six months,” Revere said. That means the plan could be approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by early 2027, making the agency eligible to receive federal funding and begin implementing it.
How can the community participate?
Residents can review the draft plan, which is available only in English, along with a preliminary summary in Spanish. PRFMA presented an overview of the plan to the community in Watsonville on July 30, and in Pajaro on July 31.
“We want to receive that feedback. We encourage people to submit comments, and we look forward to hearing from them,” Revere said.
Make your voice heard
What risks concern you most? What was missing during the 2023 floods? Your feedback could help strengthen the final version of the document.
Submit comments by email to [email protected] by Aug. 14.
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Erandi García reports on the Latino community, covering issues and decisions that shape life in the Pajaro Valley and across Santa Cruz County. "My goal is to provide accurate, accessible journalism that helps the migrant residents stay informed and engaged in their communities. I live in the Pajaro Valley and enjoy spending time with my family, exploring local events and staying connected with the community I have called home for most of my life."
Before joining Santa Cruz Local, Erandi spent more than a decade as a television journalist, reporting and anchoring for Spanish-language news. Her reporting focused on public safety, local government, immigration, crime, education and agriculture. Most recently, she served as Director of Community Outreach and Education at Hospice Giving Foundation, where she led bilingual outreach initiatives and worked with community partners throughout Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.
