Changes in Flood Management along the Pajaro River: A Transition to Watershed Management Approaches and Lessons from the Water Framework Directive and Flood Directive

Flood management planning by the Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) on Pajaro River and Correlitos Creek changes from the first levee design in 1945 to the most recent planning actions in 2004 as reflected in flow calculation and project design. The scope of project objectives expanded from the initial flood control project to the more recent whole watershed management study. The Pajaro River experience reflects the trend in flood management from 1945 to current day from single objective engineering methods to regulate flood flows in specific reaches of the river to a more holistic watershed management approach with multiple objectives. The European Union’s Water Framework Directive and Flood Directive are models for multi objective planning, which work together to improve rivers and streams to good ecological status. By looking to the previous channel restoration occurring in the European Union, and the influence of the good ecological status requirement of the WFD and FD, Pajaro River can incorporate some of the multiple objective planning measures currently being implemented in the European Union.