Unless Lathrop takes the necessary steps to protect the community from the threat of a 200-year-flood, all development in the community could come grinding to a halt in 2016.

That’s the basic tenet of California Senate Bill 5, and one that the City of Lathrop is hoping that a coalition of other cities and developers will be able to address before the city is impacted by the state law.

And while the city’s share of a multi-million dollar professional services agreement with a consultant that can carry out the required urban levee design analysis and examine the condition of the city’s existing earthen levees is supposed to be picked up by the developers who have had their projects recently approved, it’ll be up to the council to decide whether they want to float that money on the interim so that the tight timeline doesn’t get dragged down.

According to a staff report prepared for tonight’s city council meeting, the next phase of the project will be by far the most expansive and expensive – with a $2,589,197 price tag that is expected to be split amongst the Lathrop development community and the City of Manteca.

The Folsom-based Peterson Brustad Inc. – which specializes in all varieties of water projects – have worked with cities and government agencies large and small on everything from tank overhauls to improvements at Folsom Lake Pipelines and water supply master plans have also been a big part of the work that they’ve done for municipalities throughout Northern California.

As the fifth phase of the project, Peterson Brustad Inc. would be responsible for the additional geotechnical testing required on the Reclamation District 17 levees. The levees are at the center of the entire ordeal. The work will allow a finance plan to be put in place prior to the deadline to allow for Lathrop and Manteca to come up with a way to foot the full cost of the overhaul independently, if possible.

A finding of adequate progress is all that either city will need in order to keep building houses just so long as they continue to work on the levee issue.