Flood Control District

Overview

Basic facts about the Flood Control District (FC District)

  • Created in 1951 by the Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Act (PDF)
  • Is a dependent special district (the FC District governing board is the County Board of Supervisors).
  • The FC District jurisdiction extends throughout Contra Costa County, including incorporated areas.
  • The FC District can create drainage areas, flood control zones and other special assessment areas, own property, levy taxes, sue and be sued, along with a list of other powers.
  • Most of the major storm drainage facilities in the County are owned by the FC District.

Mission

We work to reduce flood risk, promote stormwater quality and restore and enhance natural resource in an environmentally sensitive manner for the communities throughout Contra Costa County.

Vision

We proactively work with communities, agencies, regulators, and other stakeholders to:

  • Provide for safety through flood control protection facilities and programs.
  • Improve our environment by sustaining and enhancing water quality in our watersheds.
  • Market and deliver high quality services.
  • Establish trust by being accountable for our actions and honoring our commitments.
  • Establish and maintain a mutual understanding of each other's interest.
  • Increase public awareness and understanding of Flood Control and Clean Water Programs.
  • Allocate our resources based on a planned program of improvement.
  • Update our plans and programs to balance the needs of all stakeholders.

Values

The FC District has adopted the values of the Contra Costa County Public Works Department. View our values on the Contra Costa County Public Works Mission, Vision & Values page. 

Collaboration

We work directly with cities and the county to carry out our mission and use the authority as appropriate to:

  • Implement FC District Drainage Area and Zone plans.
  • Construct flood control projects.
  • Maintain FC facilities.
  • Manage FC District rights of way.
  • Review and issue Flood Control Encroachment Permits for work within FC District right of way.
  • Plans and fee ordinances, adopted by the Board of Supervisors under the Act, are not subject to the Subdivision Map Act.

District Funding

The Flood Control District receives its funding from several sources:

  • A portion of the countywide property tax supports FC District programs of general benefit, such as collecting rainfall data, reviewing the drainage elements of city and County general plans, and performing planning preliminary to formation of special funding districts for drainage.
  • The FC District receives a portion of property tax with the boundaries of some Flood Control Zones for design, construction, and maintenance of regional storm drainage facilities within the Zone.
  • Development projects within some Drainage Areas are charged impact fees that fund construction of planned drainage facilities required to mitigate the increased runoff from development.
  • The FC District has established special assessments in some Drainage Areas to fund ongoing maintenance.
  • Hydraulic and hydrological analysis and design are performed on a fee-for-service basis.

Other Functions

In addition, the FC District established special Stormwater Utility Areas (SUA) for the unincorporated county area and for seventeen of the nineteen cities in the county. The FCD can:

  • Collect property assessments within the SUAs.
  • Manage and provide the revenue to the County and cities to fund the programs required by Municipal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the San Francisco Bay and Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Boards.