Army Corps seeks comments on levee vegetation waiver

Whether trees and shrubs should be allowed on levees, and under what circumstances, is being studied by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Or more accurately, still being studied, even though officials began considering the issue years ago, and the state Department of Fish and Game has warned of a lawsuit over the past policy of removing every tree and shrub on federally owned levees.

Between now and April 18, the Corps will take comments on a revised policy for what is termed vegetation variance requests, or the ability of public agencies or others to let shrubs and trees remain in some cases.

Under the revised policy, such requests would be considered on an individual levee system basis, would have to meet technical requirements and would require a corresponding management plan to make sure the levee's integrity isn't at risk because the vegetation isn't maintained.

An official in the Army Corps' Sacramento office said review of the policy predated the Department of Fish and Game's lawsuit warning.

In the pending lawsuit notification earlier this month, Fish and Game officials said the Corps' policy was too much of a one-size-fits all approach and removed critical habitat for such species as the Chinook salmon, valley elderberry longhorn beetle and Swainson's hawk.

In Yuba-Sutter, the policy would affect dozens of miles of levees along rivers and bypasses, though for Levee District 1 in Sutter County, General Manager Bill Hampton said changing the policy wouldn't mean much.

"We don't have a whole lot of vegetation on our levees anyway," he said, adding the levee district legally often removes elderberry bushes before they grow to a certain height.

"It causes us some maintenance problems when we leave it," he said. "Frankly, if I had my way, I wouldn't want to see any trees on levees."

CONTACT Ben van der Meer at bvandermeer@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4786. Find him on Facebook at /ADbvandermeer or on Twitter at @ADbvandermeer.