Funding Overview

Each year, the District undertakes large and small flood control projects with the goal of delivering the greatest possible public benefit with the funding available, while planning responsibly for long-term needs.

The District receives revenue from a variety of sources and applies these funds toward various flood control planning, operations, maintenance, and improvements. Any funds not spent are reserved for future projects.

State law and District policies generally require that revenue generated within a flood control zone (including property tax allocations and benefit assessment revenue) be spent on projects that benefit that same zone. This ensures local dollars are reinvested in the communities that are funding flood control.

The District is committed to providing clear, accessible information about where funding comes from, how it is allocated, and the benefits for residents and property owners.

Explore the District’s annual reports for details on revenues and expenditures, including zone-by-zone information.

The District receives a very small portion of the countywide one-percent property tax (with the largest portion – 40% – allocated by law to California’s Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund, not to flood control projects).

Throughout California, benefit assessments are an important source of funding for flood control projects. Each property within a flood control zone pays based on the benefit they receive from flood control projects and the amount they contribute to the stormwater load into flood control channels (quantity of stormwater runoff calculated from land use and parcel size). The existing benefit assessment that property owners pay in Western Alameda County was instituted in 1979 and has not increased since the early 1990s. An effort to pass a benefit assessment increase to pay for critical projects in Zones 2, 4, and 9 was voted down by property owners in 2025.

The District actively pursues grant opportunities and partner funding to leverage local revenue, maximizing value to property owners, and moving priority projects forward when outside resources are available. If awarded, grants typically require 25% of local matching funds.

• Use of Money and Property: The District earns income from interest on cash reserves, rental revenue from District-owned property, and from other reserves.
• Other Revenue: The District earns revenue from permitting fees paid by developers and builders, among other small sources of revenue, to offset District and County staff costs.
• Clean Water Program: The District receives a small amount of revenue from assessments on property within unincorporated Western Alameda County to cover the costs of the Clean Water Program.

Below is a list of some of the District’s key operating expenses.

• Development and Construction: Permitting, technical assistance, and construction for new developments in unincorporated areas, as well as construction inspection, laboratory testing, and contract administration.
• Engineering: Designs for new flood control structures; securing environmental clearance permits for new or existing facility maintenance and upgrades.
• Maintenance and Operations: Maintaining the District’s infrastructure inventory and overseeing the District’s pump stations and other flood control systems.
• Clean Water Program: Any activities associated with the District’s responsibility as a co-permittee of the regional NPDES permit for the Clean Water Program.
• Information Technology Improvements: Hardware and software purchases for District operations.
• Administration: Human resources, accounting, and other office services.