Lucerne Valley Channel Emergency Activities - El Nino 2026-2027

The San Bernardino County Flood Control District is initiating emergency activities for the Lucerne Valley Channel in California to prepare for an exceptionally strong El Nino event forecast for the 2026-2027 fall and winter seasons. Due to the current degraded state of the channel, these urgent repairs are necessary to prevent significant structural degradation that could pose an imminent threat to public and private property, infrastructure, and human life. The project is categorized as a forecast and has been granted a Notice of Exemption under CEQA Guidelines Section 15269(b), allowing for the rapid repair of facilities essential to public health, safety, and welfare. Authorized emergency activities include the removal of accumulated sediment and debris, the repair of eroded or washed out levees, side-slopes, and access roads, and the restoration of appurtenant flood control structures. These operations may be conducted before, during, or after storm events depending on site conditions. The project is managed by the San Bernardino County Department of Public Works, with Arlene B. Chun and Zachariah Smith serving as the primary points of contact.