Santa Barbara County Supervisors to consider riverbed improvement project near Guadalupe 

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors will consider a major public works project to improve the flow of the lower reaches of the Santa Maria River near the City of Guadalupe and Highway One.

Heavy and steady rainfall in the past two years has seen the lower reaches of the Santa Maria River burst its banks flooding homes, the state highway and farm fields in Guadalupe and forcing the temporary closure to the Guadalupe Dunes County Park.

County Public Works wants to dig a new pilot channel in the riverbed to reduce the risk of future flooding from rainfall and protect the wastewater treatment plant in the area.

The project is estimated to cost as much as $8 million to complete with the funds coming from various sources.

The Board of Supervisors will consider the SM Riverbed Improvement Project at its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday morning in Santa Maria.