Marking 25 Years Since the New Year’s Flood Of 1997 by Yuba Water Agency Jan 6, 2022 Member Submitted News On December 31, 1996, Yuba Water Agency Director Brent Hastey and his wife, Alisan, were enjoying a quiet evening at home with their four young children. Two days later, their family home since the 1850s would be under several feet of water due to a levee break in Arboga on the east bank of the Feather River in Yuba County. The New Year’s flood of 1997 was the largest in Northern California’s 115-year record in terms of storm intensity and runoff. With damages estimated at $1.8 billion, it was also the costliest. By the end of January, 48 of the state’s 58 counties were declared disaster areas due to high flows and subsequent flooding in nearly all of Northern California’s major rivers. In the 25 years since the 1997 flood, Yuba Water has worked closely with local, state and federal partners to ensure Yuba County never sees flood damage of that magnitude again. All told, Yuba Water, the Department of Water Resources, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, local levee and reclamation districts and others have invested upwards of $600 million to reduce flood risk for Yuba County communities, including through projects like the Feather and Bear river setback levees, the Marysville Ring Levee and other critical infrastructure and coordination. Thanks to these efforts, Yuba County is now among the best-protected urban areas at risk of flooding in the state. Despite these tremendous investments, the risk of flooding in Yuba County is still present. With climate change driving even more extreme periods of wet and dry, Yuba County’s flood risk will likely increase in the future. But Yuba Water is already preparing for these changes. Visit yubawater.org to read the full visual story on the 1997 floods and improvements since then, along with a timeline of events and more. You can also use the links below: Visual Story: Marking 25 Years Since the New Year’s Flood Of 1997: What’s Changed and Where We Are Today Yuba Water 1997 Flood web page Timeline of 1997 Floods and Improvements in Yuba County