Lower Elkhorn Basin

The Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee Setback (LEBLS) Project is working to increase flood resiliency and ecosystem benefits in California’s central valley. For this project, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) constructed a 11,500-meter setback levee to expand the Sacramento and Yolo bypasses by about 450 meters. This reduces flood risk throughout the valley, and opens up expanded bypass area for flood-resilient agriculture, such as rice paddies. This area will also serve as habitat for migrating birds and native grasses.