REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 9, 2026
FROM
NOEL CASTILLO, Chief Flood Control Engineer, Flood Control District
SUBJECT
Title
Grant Application to the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, for Emergency Watershed Protection Funding for Damages Resulting from the September 2025 Storm Event Following the El Dorado Fire
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Flood Control District:
1. Ratify the submission of a grant application to the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program, including the execution by the Chief Executive Officer of required grant application documents, in an amount up to $665,250 for debris removal and K-rail installation and up to $66,525 for technical assistance to mitigate flood risks and damages created by the storms following the El Dorado Fire in the Forest Falls, Oak Glen, and Seven Oaks areas.
2. Authorize the Chief Flood Control Engineer or Assistant Director to execute any subsequent non-substantive grant application amendments, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Chief Flood Control Engineer to transmit any subsequent non-substantive grant application amendments to the Clerk of the Board within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Noel Castillo, Chief Flood Control Engineer, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote and Fulfill the Countywide Vision.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Operate in a Fiscally Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Funding will be provided through the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program, which will fund 75% of eligible project costs, with the remaining 25% provided as a local match by San Bernardino County (County), funded by Disaster Relief - Community Needs Restricted General Funds. The estimated project cost is $887,000 (NRCS share: $665,250; local match: $221,750 from the County). NRCS will also provide up to $66,525 for technical assistance. Because County General Funds will be utilized for this project, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County and the San Bernardino County Flood Control District (District) will be brought before the Board of Supervisors (Board) for approval at a later date.
Following the grant award, the District will return to the Board for award acceptance, any necessary budget adjustments, and an MOU between the County and the District.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The NRCS administers the EWP Program to assist local communities in recovering from natural disasters that impair watershed function and pose risks to life and property.
The September 2025 storm event following the El Dorado Fire brought heavy rainfall and resulted in significant mud and debris flows in the Forest Falls, Oak Glen, and Seven Oaks areas. These conditions have created a risk to public safety, infrastructure, and private property due to the buildup of mud and debris and unstable watershed conditions across the impacted areas.
NRCS representatives met with District staff to evaluate the extent of damage from debris flows and to develop a work program for the rehabilitation, clearing, and cleaning of impacted areas. The grant application seeks funding for work that includes debris removal and K-rail installation to mitigate flood risks and damages created by the September 2025 storm event. The District is applying for these funds as the District has typically been the local sponsor for the NRCS EWP Program.
The District became aware of and pursued the financial assistance opportunity following the September 2025 storm event and immediately began coordinating the preparation of the application materials to meet the program requirements and submission deadline. Although the September 2025 storm event occurred earlier, NRCS issued the grant instructions, requirements, and application package on March 9, 2026, with a submission deadline of May 12, 2026. Due to the short timeframe between receipt of the application materials and the submission deadline, the District requested Chief Executive Officer authorization to submit the application before formal Board consideration to preserve the funding opportunity.
The Chief Executive Officer approved the submittal on May 12, 2026. The grant application was submitted on May 12, 2026. The District is bringing this item to the Board for approval at the earliest available Board meeting following submission of the application. The District is requesting delegated authority for the Chief Flood Control Engineer or the Assistant Director to execute any subsequent non-substantive grant application amendments and any additional documents necessary to support timely processing of the grant application.
The EWP grant funding will support the County’s goal of protecting public safety, infrastructure, and private property by reducing hazards associated with post-fire storm event and unstable watershed conditions. The proposed project is designed to address urgent risks by removing accumulated debris and restoring drainage capacity, thereby reducing the likelihood of further flooding and damage.
NRCS requires ongoing inspections throughout project implementation to ensure compliance with program standards. Upon completion, a final inspection and certification will be conducted to verify that all work has been completed in accordance with NRCS requirements.
County Policy 05-13 SP1 requires approval of the Board for a grant application that requires additional discretionary general funding or matching funds not previously budgeted or allocated for program-related activity. In this case, the EWP grant requires a 25% matching component which will be provided by County funds.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Sophie A. Curtis, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 15, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Dalton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5005) on May 22, 2026.