The City of West Sacramento is surrounded by levees that protect it from riverine flooding. These levees create a “bathtub” effect, so that other sources of water – like rain – must be physically collected and removed to prevent flooding. This is done by a system of canals, ditches, detention basins and pumps, also known as the internal drainage system. Together, levees and the internal drainage system protect properties from flood damage.

Historical Formation of RD 900
Reclamation District 900 was officially established by the California Legislature on March 2, 1911. This original legislative act created the District, defined its boundaries, and established its authority to manage and maintain flood control infrastructure. The document below is the original statute that marked the beginning of RD 900's more than 100 years of service to the community.

Historical Formation of RD 900

Today, the District has ten employees responsible for operating and maintaining 13.6 miles of levees, along with the facilities that make up the internal drainage system:

• 11 Pumping Stations
• 40 Pumps
• 38 Miles of Canals and Ditches
• 6 Detention Basins

Our Responsibility:

Through the procurement of federal, state, county, and special assessment funds, RD900 is responsible for protecting the levees and property within our borders. We maintain ditches, supervise water levels, perform vegetation control, emergency preparedness/ flood prevention protocol, and repair levee sites as necessary.

Levee maintenance primarily includes mowing levee slopes, tree trimming, weed control, rodent abatement, crown road maintenance, erosion repair, and routine inspections. Ditch maintenance requires vegetation control, cleaning, deepening of the waterways and the maintenance of pipes, gates, risers, and pumps which connect them.