Problem & Need
The Lower San Joaquin River (LSR) Lathrop and Manteca, California, Feasibility Study is a dual-purpose study to examine flood risk management and aquatic ecosystem restoration. This study will investigate Federal interests in improving flood risk to life-safety and property focused on the Mossdale Tract area, which includes portions of the Cities of Stockton, Lathrop and Manteca and surrounding urbanized areas of San Joaquin County.
This study also includes investigations for aquatic ecosystem restoration in the Mossdale Tract area and upstream along the LSJR to increase and improve aquatic, riparian and adjacent terrestrial habitats.
Why do we need another feasibility study?
The Lathrop and Manteca Feasibility Study builds upon the San Joaquin River Basin, Lower San Joaquin River, CA, Final Integrated Interim Feasibility Report/Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report: January 2018, which did not provide for flood risk management recommendations within the Mossdale Tract portion of the study area due to policy concerns over Executive Order (EO) 11988, Floodplain Management. The Lathrop and Manteca Feasibility Study will allow for reexamination of those policy concerns and the potential for additional flood risk management and aquatic ecosystem restoration recommendations.
A Civil Works feasibility study is the initial step in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) process for addressing many of the nation’s significant water resources needs and typically focus on one or more of USACE’s key mission areas: flood damage risk management (inland and coastal), navigation (inland and deep draft), or aquatic ecosystem restoration.
Funding & Partners
The Lathrop and Manteca Feasibility Study was initiated on 30 September 2022 with the execution of a cost sharing agreement between:
After Congress has both authorized and appropriated funds to begin a study, USACE planners work with a non-federal sponsor (Sponsor) and a multi-disciplinary Project Delivery Team (PDT) to conduct a feasibility study. A feasibility study establishes the Federal interest, engineering feasibility, economic justification and environmental acceptability of a water resources project recommended for Congressional authorization and construction.
Specifically, USACE and the Sponsor work together to identify water resources problems, formulate and evaluate solutions, resolve conflicting interests, and prepare recommendations. Feasibility studies are cost shared equally between the Sponsor and the federal government.
Schedule
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Study Initiation: 30 September 2022
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Draft Recommendation (Draft Feasibility Report): Planned for release to the public in Spring 2025
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Final Report (Chief of Engineers’ Report): Planned for December 2026
The feasibility study and resulting recommendation to be considered for Congressional project construction authorization is presented in the form of a Chief’s Report.