The US House of Represen- tatives has approved spending US$4M for the expansion of Folsom dam’s eight existing outlets. The expanded outlets will enable the faster release of flood water into the lower American river as storm runoff heads into Folsom Lake. Once finished, the expanded outlets and upgrades to downstream levees, at a cost of about US$100M, will improve flood protection for the City of Sacremento, which currently has less than a one in 100-year return period flood protection.
Meanwhile the US Bureau of Reclamation has initiated a flood control study that looks at various alternatives to control flooding. These include raising Folsom dam, faster pre-flood releases, levee work along the American river and Yolo bypass.