Summer 2011, Volume 57, Number 3 - San Diego History Center

The Day the San Diego River Was Saved
Fig. 9. Development on the north side of the San Diego River’s statutory floodway, 1976. Photo by P.R. Pryde.
different geographic conditions that characterize San Diego County. This point
will be elaborated upon in the next section.
The May 11 newspaper article specifically mentioned that the underlying
hydrologic calculations were being looked at. Col. Malley stated, “We are seeking
to confirm our flow data leading to our estimates of a standard project flood.”
By “standard project flood” he meant the size of the calculated flood that would
justify the very large concrete channel being proposed. If it could be proven that
the size of their calculated flood was exaggerated, much of the justification for a
large concrete channel would be rendered questionable.
It was hoped that their new study would contain not only a re-examination
of the hydrological assumptions, but also specific alternatives to the increasingly
disliked concrete channel proposal. Although perhaps not directly related to the
Corps’ restudy then underway, the city of San Diego in September 1971 adopted
its first ordinance to start controlling development in floodplains. 24 The main
purpose of this ordinance was to define a legal floodway to enable the city to
qualify for Federal flood insurance (Figure 9).
Finally, on March 23, 1972, the San Diego City Council passed a resolution
formally asking the Corps to study various types of alternative facilities, including
“a natural bottom wide channel” throughout most of the valley. 25
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