When Reclamation District 800 (RD 800) was selected as one of only four private levee districts nationwide to take part in a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pilot study in late 2022, it was already a major win. The program promised expert inspection, risk analysis, and long-term data — all at no cost to the district. But what may be even more rewarding, district leaders say, is that it also brought long-sought recognition and support from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) – the most likely source for future funding. … The pilot project began in earnest on Feb. 13, 2024, when Army Corps engineers conducted their first levee tour on the north side of the Cosumnes River. Top DWR officials from the Division of Flood Management joined that tour — an unusual show of support for a rural district long accustomed to going it alone.