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 December 2025 Storm Events
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 $2,721,000 for debris removal and up to $272,100 for technical assistance to mitigate flood risks and damages caused by the December 2025 storm events in the Wrightwood, Lytle Creek, and Phelan areas.
2. Authorize the Chief Flood Control Engineer or the 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). The San Bernardino County Flood Control District (District) is funded by property tax revenue, fee revenue, and local, state, and federal funding. The grant application seeks federal funding for debris removal to mitigate flood risks and damages caused by the December 2025 storm events. 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 either the County, for private property, and the District for District facilities.
The District’s total estimated project cost is $3,200,000 with NRCS share of $2,400,000 and the District’s match being $800,000. The private property total estimated project cost is $428,000 with NRCS share of $321,000 and the County’s match being $107,000. An additional amount up to $272,100 for technical assistance will be fully funded by NRCS. The District’s match would be funded with property tax revenue, while the County’s match would be funded by Disaster Relief - Community Needs Restricted General Funds. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the District’s 2025-26 budget (1920002522-F02949 and 1940002532-F02950) and will be included in future recommended budgets. Because County General Funds will be utilized for the private property portion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County and the 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
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 December 2025 storm events in the County brought heavy rainfall and resulted in soil erosion, mudflows, and localized flooding in the Wrightwood, Lytle Creek, and Phelan areas. These conditions have created a risk to public safety, infrastructure, and private property due to the buildup of mud and debris and saturated ground conditions across the impacted areas.
NRCS representatives met with District staff to evaluate the extent of damage from the 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 the removal of mud and debris from private properties and District facilities, including hauling and proper disposal.
The District became aware of and pursued the financial assistance opportunity following the December 2025 storm event and immediately began coordinating the preparation of the application materials to meet the program requirements and submission deadline. Although the December 2025 storm event occurred earlier, NRCS issued the grant instructions, requirements, and application package on March, 23, 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 submission and 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 immediate hazards caused by storm-related debris 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 for the private property component of the project.
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.