Welcome!
Yuba County is conducting a Climate Change Vulnerability Analysis to better understand how rural road culverts perform during larger and more frequent storm events.
As part of this study, the County will be inventorying and assessing culverts located under County-owned and maintained rural roads. This work will help identify locations that may be vulnerable to flooding, erosion, or other drainage-related issues.
In this self-guided open house, you can:
- Learn about why the County is completing this study
- Understand how culvert data will be used
- Share locations where you have seen flooding or drainage problems
- Help identify culverts that may be difficult to locate or maintain
Submit a culvert location
Why we're doing this study
Rural roads in Yuba County rely on culverts to safely carry stormwater under roadways and prevent flooding. Over time, weather patterns have changed, and storms are becoming more intense. This can result in:
- Localized roadway flooding
- Undersized or overwhelmed culverts
- Road damage and washouts
- Unsafe conditions for drivers, bicyclists, and farm equipment
- Disruptions to emergency response and daily travel
Many culverts in the County system were designed based on older rainfall patterns and may not reflect current or future climate conditions. Additionally, some culverts may be damaged or degraded and are not performing up to their design capacity. This study will help the County better understand where current and future vulnerabilities may exist so improvements can be planned strategically.
What is a culvert?
A culvert is a structure that allows water to pass under a road, railway, or other obstruction, typically made of concrete, steel, or plastic pipe. They are essential for managing stormwater runoff and preventing flooding in rural areas.
Interior view of a corrugated metal culvert in Camptonville.
How the study will be used
The County will use the results of this analysis to:
- Inventory and document existing culverts (location, size, material, condition, and elevations)
- Compare current culvert capacity to projected storm flows using updated climate models
- Identify areas most at risk of flooding or failure
- Prioritize future culvert repairs, upgrades, or replacements
This is a planning-level study and does not construct or change infrastructure directly. Instead, it helps guide future funding and improvement decisions.
Project area
The project area includes the rural areas of Yuba County. View the project limits and culverts that we have already identified here Yuba County Rural Road Culvert Inventory and Flooding Assessment (Online Open House Map)
What we want to hear from you
Local knowledge is an important part of this effort. We want to hear about:
- Areas where culverts may be hard to locate due to vegetation, sediment, or access conditions
- Culverts that appear damaged, degraded, or blocked by debris, sediment, or vegetation
- Any recurring drainage issues along rural County roads
- Areas where you have seen roadway flooding or ponding
- Locations where water frequently overtops roads during storms
- Drainage problems near rural road crossings
We are collecting information related to public County roads, roadside drainage systems, and culverts located within or under County-maintained roadways. We are not seeking information about private culverts or drainage systems on private property. Your input will help supplement field data collected during the inventory process.
How to participate
Feedback can be submitted through the form below. You can:
- Provide specific locations (roads, intersections, or landmarks) of hidden or problem culverts, or areas with known drainage issues on County-maintained rural roads
- Submit comments about flooding or drainage issues on County-maintained rural roads
- Upload photos if available
- Ask questions about the project