Dam Safety Program / Lake Hodges Dam

President of Friends of Lake Hodges urged the council to expedite design and construction of a new dam before the state's 2029 deadline, warning of flooding, habitat loss, and fire risk.

Representing Rady Lake Hodges area residents, supported a new dam but noted the lake sits at roughly 16% capacity, harming the wetland ecosystem and fire buffer.

Described the cascade of costs for lakeside homeowners — falling property values, unavailability of insurance, and higher taxes.

Cited wildfire losses in Los Angeles and urged repair and replacement of the dam plus restoration of the emergency storage project commitment.

Supported the contracts but urged attention to Chollas Lake Dam and consultation with Parks and Recreation stakeholders.

Criticized years of deferred dam maintenance and redirected funds, noting water costs rose from $400 to $2,600 per acre-foot and $11 billion in water was flushed to the ocean.