Living Alongside Water in the Pájaro Valley

In the Winter of 2023, the Pájaro Valley experienced a series of atmospheric rivers which caused persistent and widespread flooding throughout the region. This flooding culminated in March 2023 with the breaching of the levees surrounding the Pájaro River.

The work collected here aims to provide the community with the insights, maps, information, and county and agency level recommendations provided by the Just Environments Lab in collaboration with the communities of the Pajaro Valley.

Beginning with the Quick Response project which focused on understanding recovery from the 2023 winter storms and continuing with a Historical Analysis of Floods in the region and its relation to jurisdictional changes and inequitable infrastructure investments over time. This work was further complemented by student design work that seeks to address food insecurity, flood risks, and relationships with the water.

As such, this is a community archive of resources for post-2023 floods rebuilding and future visioning.

Support for the projects here comes from:

• University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources (UCANR)

• University of California Berkeley’s Institute for Urban and Regional Development (IURD)

• Natural Hazards Center - Quick Response Award