Alex Padilla U.S. Senator for California

Padilla and Schiff secure $54 million in federal funding for Watsonville and Pajaro’s flood protection efforts to safeguard residents, businesses, and infrastructure

PAJARO, CA — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that he secured over $60.3 million in federal funding for six projects along the Central Coast through Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills. The influx of federal funding includes $54 million Padilla and Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) helped deliver for the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. The new federal investment will increase flood protection for Watsonville and Pajaro residents by reconstructing failing flood control levees along the Pajaro River and its tributaries. This funding is part of the $241,794,366 in total Congressionally Directed Spending funding that Padilla delivered for California for FY 2026.

Shortly after the storms breached the Pajaro River levee in 2023, Senator Padilla surveyed the damage along Highway 1 and met with families, small business owners, and farmers in Watsonville and Pajaro impacted by the extreme storms and flooding in California.

“Nearly three years ago, I visited Pajaro and Watsonville where I met with residents and saw firsthand their lives upended by catastrophic flooding that wiped out entire homes, farms, and businesses. Since then, I have pushed for sustained federal investment not just to rebuild the Central Coast communities devastated by historic flooding, but to protect the region from future disasters,” said Senator Padilla. “As atmospheric rivers grow more frequent and severe, this new funding boost will help create new flood walls and rebuild more resilient levees along the Pajaro River. I won’t stop fighting in Congress for even more funding to address the inequities in our infrastructure in Pajaro and beyond.”

“I’m proud to deliver federal funding for critical flood protection improvements for communities across our state that are most at risk,” said Senator Schiff. “Watsonville and Pajaro residents have waited decades for upgraded flood protection systems, and experienced significant damage and even loss of life in the process. It’s time that these federal dollars reach the Watsonville and Pajaro community as we work to mitigate flood risk and damage to residents, businesses, and local infrastructure. This investment would not be possible without the leadership and partnership of Senator Padilla, Congressman Panetta, Congresswoman Lofgren, and local leaders fighting to ensure this critical project receives the federal resources it needs.” 

“The residents and businesses along the Pajaro River have been waiting for necessary flood protection for far too long,” said Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18). “In September, I was proud to announce nearly $40 million for levee and floodwall construction in Watsonville, and I’m proud to have submitted this additional $54.8 million as one of my community projects this year. That’s going to help save lives and property, and I’m thankful for the extraordinary leadership Senators Padilla and Schiff have both shown by prioritizing this project as well.” 

“For far too long, the people Watsonville and Pajaro have been left vulnerable to devastating floods that have damaged homes, taken lives, and destroyed livelihoods,” said Representative Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19). “Together with Senators Schiff and Padilla and Rep. Lofgren, we have worked hard to ensure that the federal government has stepped up and provided the funding necessary for proper flood protection of the communities along the Pajaro River.  The partnership at all levels of government to make the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project a reality is something we can all be proud of on the Central Coast of California.” 

The funding announcement comes after President Trump’s Army Corps work plan zeroed out hundreds of millions of dollars for key California waterway construction projects, including the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project — steering hundreds of millions to red states instead. Padilla and Schiff blasted Trump’s outrageous, overtly political decision at the time, and have continued to fight for Pajaro to get the levee upgrades it urgently needs.

Other projects along the Central Coast that will receive federal funding include:

• Salinas Firefighter Training Tower Facility – $2 million: This funding supports the City of Salinas Fire Department in constructing a new training tower facility.

• Guadalupe Union School District – Making Way for Room to Play Project – $1.97 million: This project will construct an outdoor play area attached to the Early Learning Center, which is currently under construction and will be the only center of its kind in the region.

• Paso Robles Spaceport Training and Research Center – $1 million: This funding will bolster aerospace workforce development by helping establish a state-of-the-art complex that integrates education programs, research facilities, and industry partnerships.

• Senior Center Facility Improvements in Guadalupe – $275,000: This project will establish a much-needed recreational space, including a new track, athletic basketball courts, and outdoor volleyball courts.

• City of Soledad Streetscape Enhancement Project – $250,000: This project supports the City of Soledad in revitalizing its downtown through strategic streetscape enhancement.

Senator Padilla has fought tirelessly for Central Coast communities devastated by atmospheric river flooding. He and Representative Lofgren successfully led the California Congressional delegation in urging the Biden Administration to approve a Major Disaster Declaration following a relentless string of atmospheric rivers. In spring of 2024, Padilla urged the Biden Administration to prioritize sustained federal investment in the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project to protect disadvantaged communities along the central coast of California.

More information on these appropriations bills is available here, here, and here.

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