What Central Valley Flood Protection Board does

The Central Valley Flood Protection Board (CVFPB) is a California state regulatory agency, originally chartered in 1911 as the Reclamation Board and renamed in 2012, operating under the California Natural Resources Agency. Its statutory mandate is to establish, maintain, and enforce standards for construction, maintenance, and operation of the flood control system protecting people, property, and habitat in California's Central Valley—the state's most flood-prone region. The Board is governed by seven voting members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the California State Senate on staggered four-year terms, supported by approximately 32 staff scientists, engineers, lawyers, and administrators based in Sacramento. It manages approximately 1,600 miles of State and federal levees, weirs, and channels across the Sacramento and San Joaquin River systems and holds roughly 26,600 acres in fee title, 14,200 acres in Joint Use Agreements, and 209,500 acres in easement through the Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainage District (SSJDD).

CVFPB's core offerings center on permitting (the Encroachment Permit Program requires Board approval for any work within the State Plan of Flood Control, regulated streams, designated floodways, or SSJDD easements), enforcement (issuing Notices of Violation with administrative penalties up to $50,000 per violation for the 1,600-mile system), land management (SSJDD property leases, licenses, easements, and abatement), and biennial adoption of the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan. Technology infrastructure includes the Best Available Map (BAM) Viewer, the ArcGIS Online Map Viewer for SSJDD easements, and the Permit Application Portal launched January 2026. The Board coordinates with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as the non-federal sponsor for federal flood control projects, requires Section 408 reviews for alterations to federal projects, and works through Local Maintaining Agencies (LMAs) that must endorse encroachment permits.

The Board's revenue model is non-commercial: it is funded through annual California state budget appropriations under the California Natural Resources Agency, supplemented by transaction-based permit and inspection fees set forth in Appendix B, Exhibit 1 of Title 23 of the California Code of Regulations, plus license fees on SSJDD property. Customer segments are exclusively governmental and quasi-governmental—Local Maintaining Agencies (reclamation districts, levee districts, state maintenance areas, counties, and cities), property owners and developers needing encroachment permits, USACE as the federal partner, and other California state agencies. Outreach is conducted through public monthly Board meetings, the official website (cvfpb.ca.gov), GovDelivery email bulletins, and a YouTube channel archiving meetings since 2004.

Name

Central Valley Flood Protection Board

Legal name

Central Valley Flood Protection Board

Website

https://cvfpb.ca.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1911

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Central Valley Flood Protection Board is a California state regulatory agency (founded 1911, ~32 staff) that establishes and enforces flood-control standards across 1,600 miles of Central Valley levees, processing encroachment permits, conducting enforcement, and managing SSJDD property for the California Natural Resources Agency.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Flood Control Regulation

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Flood Control & Protection Infrastructure (Levees, Floodwalls, Gates, Pump Stations) (EUANAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Planning, Zoning, Permitting & Code Enforcement (BPAIACAE)

Keywords

• Flood control regulation
• Levee management
• Encroachment permitting
• Floodplain mapping
• Regulatory flood planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Permit and Inspection Fees: The CVFPB charges fees for permitting, inspection activities, and other authorizations based on the type of encroachment. Fees include permit review fees (due at application submission), construction inspection fees (due prior to permit issuance), and routine inspection fees (due prior to scheduled inspections).
2. State Appropriated Funding: As a state agency under the California Natural Resources Agency, the Board is funded through annual state budget appropriations to support its regulatory and operational activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Central Valley Flood Protection Board is a California state regulatory agency that establishes, maintains, and enforces standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of the flood control system protecting California's Central Valley. It administers the Encroachment Permit Program for any work within Board-adopted flood control areas, an Enforcement Program covering 1,600 miles of levees, SSJDD Property Management for tens of thousands of acres of drainage district land, and the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan adopted every five years.

Product overview

The Central Valley Flood Protection Board is a California state regulatory agency that operates as a unified service organization rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core offerings center on the Permit Application Portal for online permit submissions, the Best Available Map (BAM) Viewer for jurisdictional mapping, encroachment permitting services, an enforcement program for levee system compliance, and SSJDD property management. The Board manages approximately 1,600 miles of levees, weirs, and channels as part of the State Plan of Flood Control. Starting January 2026, all permit applications must be submitted through the Permit Application Portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Permit Application Portal Online portal enabling users to submit permit applications, create accounts, apply for permits, maintenance concurrences, and minor alteration authorizations. Allows users to apply for multiple permits, get endorsements from local agencies, and track applications through the permitting process.
• Best Available Map (BAM) Viewer Web-based GIS viewer provided by California Department of Water Resources to assist users in determining if proposed work may be located within the jurisdictional area of the CVFPB. Provides maps for 100, 200, and 500-year event floodplains as well as layers for Regulated Streams and Designated Floodways.
• Encroachment Permit Program Regulatory program requiring Board approval for any proposed work located within Board-Adopted Plan of Flood Control areas, including work on federal project levees, within 100-foot proximity of regulated streams, within designated floodways, or within SSJDD easements.
• Enforcement Program Regulatory enforcement program responsible for ensuring approximately 1,600 miles of State/federal levees and State Plan of Flood Control facilities are operated and maintained properly. Authorized to issue Notices of Violation and take enforcement actions including administrative penalties up to $50,000 per violation.
• SSJDD Property Management Management of real property interests held by the Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainage District (SSJDD), including approximately 26,600 acres in fee title, 14,200 acres in Joint Use Agreements, and 209,500 acres in easement. Activities include executing licenses, leases, easements, temporary entry permits, and property conveyance.
• SSJDD Property Abatement Program Program established to address encampments and debris on SSJDD property in response to Governor Newsom's Executive Order EO-7-24. Partners with local agencies for removal and disposal of debris and hazardous waste on SSJDD-owned property.
• Board Delegated Permits Permit applications delegated to the Executive Officer for approval that do not significantly affect any element of the State Plan of Flood Control. These are posted on the website for 30 days for public comment before issuance.
• Central Valley Flood Protection Plan Comprehensive flood protection plan adopted by the Board every five years, outlining strategies for flood risk reduction in the California Central Valley. Includes the Conservation Strategy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Manages and maintains 1,600 miles of levees, weirs, and channels throughout the Sacramento and San Joaquin River systems
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCVFPB works with USACE as a key external partner in preventing flood risk. The Board serves as the non-federal sponsor for federal flood control projects in the State Plan of Flood Control. Projects within USACE jurisdiction require Section 408 review, which includes engineering, environmental, real estate, and legal review to ensure proposed alterations do not impair federal projects.
• Local Maintaining Agencies (LMAs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCVFPB coordinates with Local Maintaining Agencies (reclamation districts, levee districts, state maintenance areas, counties, cities) in a coordinated effort for preventing flood risk. LMAs are responsible for maintaining project levees and/or channels in their vicinities and must endorse encroachment permit applications.
• California Department of Fish and WildlifeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Board has partnered with California Department of Fish and Wildlife to lease SSJDD property, serving a dual purpose of developing critical habitat for California's fish and wildlife while meeting the Board's flood obligation needs.
• California Department of Water ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDWR performs periodic inspections of the System and provides inspection results to CVFPB staff. DWR's Real Estate Branch handles SSJDD property management activities. DWR also provides floodplain data for the Best Available Maps (BAM) Viewer.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: The federal counterpart for flood control infrastructure in the United States. CVFPB serves as the non-federal sponsor for USACE flood control projects and collaborates on Section 408 reviews and NEPA compliance — directly comparable mandate over flood control infrastructure planning and execution.
• Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA): One of the Local Maintaining Agencies that must report adequate progress on flood protection to CVFPB under California Government Code 65007. Operates local flood management projects within CVFPB's regulatory jurisdiction and is a primary stakeholder/coordinator with the Board.
• California Department of Water Resources: State agency that performs periodic inspections of the flood control system, provides floodplain data for the BAM Viewer, and manages SSJDD property real estate. DWR and CVFPB share overlapping water and flood management authorities in the same Central Valley geography.
• Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency (SBFCA): Local flood management agency required to report adequate progress on flood protection to CVFPB. Comparable to CVFPB at the sub-regional level, focused on levee improvement projects within the Board's jurisdiction.
• Tahoe Regional Planning Agency: Bi-state (California/Nevada) regulatory agency governing land use around Lake Tahoe with permitting authority, environmental review (similar to CEQA), and an appointed governing board. Structurally analogous to CVFPB as a state-level regulatory body with permitting and environmental compliance functions.
• San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission: California state regulatory agency with permitting authority over San Francisco Bay shoreline, similar appointed-board structure, and a comparable mandate balancing infrastructure, environmental, and public access goals. Direct structural peer in the California state regulatory ecosystem.
• California Coastal Commission: California state regulatory agency with comparable structure: appointed Board, permitting authority over coastal encroachments, CEQA compliance, public meeting requirements, and a California Natural Resources Agency relationship. Direct structural peer for California state regulatory commissions.
• San Joaquin Area Flood Control Agency (SJAFCA): Local flood control agency under CVFPB oversight in the San Joaquin River basin. Operates levee and flood infrastructure projects that require Board encroachment permits and adequate progress reporting.
• Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority (TRLIA): Local flood management agency reporting to CVFPB on adequate progress; led levee improvement work in Yuba County and Sutter County. Sub-regional peer operating under CVFPB's regulatory authority with comparable flood risk reduction mission.

Broad incumbents

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): Federal agency with broader emergency management and floodplain management responsibilities (National Flood Insurance Program, flood hazard mapping). Operates at a national scale and provides funding and policy frameworks that interact with CVFPB's state-level flood control mandate.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCDREhiLpWtyPJqWWJBEHrEw/featured
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/central-valley-flood-protection-board

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Central Valley Flood Protection Board