Ground was broken on a new levee Monday morning in Hamilton City. Leaders from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District and Reclamation District 2140 joined Congressman Doug LaMalfa and John Garamendi, as well as state and local officials, during the ceremony.

The event kicked off nearly seven miles of expected levee improvements and 1,500 acres of ecosystem restoration. The Hamilton City community relies on the existing levee to contain Sacramento River flows. The levee does not meet current levee construction standards, as it was constructed originally in 1904. In the last 20 years, the community has had to evacuate six times.