Frog Protections A Concern In Relation To Valley Springs Flooding

Courtesy Image

Valley Springs, CA — Senator Marie Alvarado Gil toured flood damage in the Valley Springs area this week, along with Calaveras County Office of Emergency Services Director John Osbourn, Supervisor Gary Tofanelli, and Calaveras Consolidated Fire Chief Richard Dickinson.

Calaveras County officials have stated that over 80 structures were damaged by flooding and other storm impacts over the past three weeks, and Alvarado Gill says that more than 35 of those structures were in Valley Springs alone.

She notes, “To see the catastrophic destruction resulting from the unrelenting storms first-hand, and the enormity of the impact this is having on both the residents and resources of Calaveras is devastating. I am committed to finding solutions that will not only help with the recovery process, but to prevent this degree of damage from occurring again in the future.”

Alvarado Gil’s office has provided additional information about some of the feedback received and challenges she learned about, explaining, “Director Osbourn explained that Cosgrove Creek, which flows near Highway 26 has flooded several times over that last 25 years, and needs to be cleaned to allow space for normal water events to flow without causing extensive damage. However, this process has been stalled in the past due to environmental concerns about negatively impacting the habitat of the endangered Red Legged Frog that lives in the creek. The local HOA and the county will be meeting to discuss a resolution for this challenge and determine who bears the costs to prioritize and implement the clean-up efforts.”

Alvarado Gil, a Democrat, notes that Governor Newsom and President Biden have declared select counties in a Major Disaster Declaration, but to this point, Calaveras has not been added. She stresses that she plans to work with state and county officials to rectify this issue.