ARTICLE 3. Levees [8630. - 8647.]

Cal. Water Code - WAT 3.
in effect

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8630. Section 8630.

As used in this article the term “levee” means any levee within the Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainage District.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8631. Section 8631.

The board may promote the construction, completion, maintenance and repair of levees along all rivers, streams, overflow channels, basins and by-passes where, in the opinion of the board, the levees are insufficient or necessary for the purpose of the plans for flood control to be carried out by the board under this part.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8632. Section 8632.

Whenever any levee is in the opinion of the board insufficient or necessary for flood control, the board shall publish notice to that effect.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8633. Section 8633.

The published notice shall state that the levee is insufficient or necessary, that it is the intention of the board to construct, repair or complete the levee and pay the cost out of an assessment levied or to be levied and assessed upon the lands within the drainage district directly or indirectly benefited by the levee.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8634. Section 8634.

The notice shall be signed in the name of the board by its president and secretary and shall be published once a week for three weeks in some newspaper published in the county wherein the levee or the greater part of it is situated or is to be constructed.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8635. Section 8635.

The giving of the notice by publication shall be complete on the twenty-first day after the first publication.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8636. Section 8636.

Any landowner, reclamation district, drainage district, levee district, municipal corporation or other organization or association authorized by law to construct, repair or complete a levee shall have 30 days after completion of the giving of notice by publication within which to apply to the board for leave to construct, repair or complete the levee.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8637. Section 8637.

The application shall be in writing and signed by the applicants or their respective executors, administrators, guardians, trustees or duly constituted and authorized officers.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8639. Section 8639.

When an application is filed within the required 30 days, the applicants shall have 60 days after filing the application, or any further time that the board allows, within which to do the following: (a) Present to the board plans and specifications. (b) Obtain the board’s approval of plans and specifications. (c) Commence the work of repair, construction or completion.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8640. Section 8640.

The application for leave to construct, repair or complete a levee shall designate the name and post-office address of at least one and not more than three of the applicants as the person or persons to whom any notice or communication may be addressed by the board in the matter of the application.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8641. Section 8641.

In case there are two or more applications filed in the office of the board within the required 30 days the board may determine which of such applications shall be recognized and may reject the others.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8642. Section 8642.

Any levee constructed or work done by the applicants, pursuant to notice from the board and according to plans and specifications approved by the board, shall be considered as constructed or done with the permission of the board within the meaning of Article 1 of Chapter 8 of this part.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8643. Section 8643.

If the application is not filed in the office of the board within 30 days after completion of the giving of notice by publication, or if the applicants fail to present to the board and obtain its approval of the plans and specifications and to commence the work within 60 days after filing the application or any further time the board may allow, or fail to complete the work with reasonable diligence, the board may proceed with the construction, repair or completion of the work, and pay the cost by assessment upon the lands within the drainage district directly or indirectly benefited by the levee according to the benefits, as provided for in this part.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8644. Section 8644.

The assessment may be either an assessment specially levied and assessed for that purpose, or any assessment levied and assessed by the board and applicable to the payment of such work.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8645. Section 8645.

Notwithstanding anything in this article the board may determine a case of emergency exists requiring immediate action to preserve life or property or to protect or preserve the safety of any levee along any river, stream, overflow channel, basin or by-pass.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8646. Section 8646.

The board may do the necesssary work immediately for the protection or preservation of the levee, without giving the notice provided for in this article.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 8647. Section 8647.

The board may pay the cost, including any damage that may result from the performance of the work, by an assessment to be levied and assessed as provided in this article or out of the funds of any assessment available for that purpose under the provisions of this part.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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