Reclamation District 1000 Receives Prestigious National Award for Excellence in Communications
SEATTLE, WA (PRWEB) July 27, 2023 -- The National Association of Flood & Stormwater Management Agencies t oday announced that it has named Reclamation District 1000 (RD1000) as the first-place winner of its annual Excellence in Communication award.
The association’s Excellence in Communications awards program highlights award-winning communication and outreach programs that serve as examples of successful initiatives related to flood awareness, pollution prevention and environmental protection that are taking place across the United States.
RD1000 received first-place honors in recognition of its “4 Natomas” public awareness and community outreach program. The 18-month effort employed a multi-faceted approach to educate residents and businesses in Sacramento’s Natomas Basin about the extreme dangers of flooding and the critical need to upgrade an aging infrastructure to comply with federal standards.
“We greatly appreciate the recognition this prestigious award means to our district and staff,” said Kevin King, the General Manager of RD1000. “But it is also important that we share this achievement with the Natomas community, which was highly receptive to our outreach and took the time to understand – and act on – the critical information we were providing them.”
By understanding the threat of major flooding and the dire need to modernize the district’s aging pumps, equipment and infrastructure, the community committed to flood protection by approving a ballot measure to raise necessary stormwater fees.
“I’m so proud of our team for the hard work they have put into this effort over the last two years,” said Board President Elena Lee Reeder. ”Our Natomas community has embraced local flood protection, and has made the decision to invest in both present and future generations.”
The communications program entailed an integrated approach around a new brand specific to the issue – “4 Natomas: Levees, Lift Pumps, Lives Longevity.” The effort included innovative advertising, grassroots meetings, direct mailings, traditional media and targeted hyper-local social media.
Overall, the RD1000 design and communications team delivered more than 15 million total impressions over an 18-month period ending in 2022. This translated into a historically-high 23% voter turnout for the property related fee measure. With a 56% majority vote, those in RD1000’s service area approved $94-million over the next 30 years for infrastructure upgrades and equipment replacement.
“Through the communication effort, the residents of Natomas had the information they needed to make the prudent decision to help ensure a flood-safe future for Natomas,” said King. “This enormous benefit to the community is the true significance of the award we received today.”
Reclamation District 1000 (RD1000) is a California Special District created in 1911. Its mission is flood protection for the Natomas Basin by providing for the public’s health and safety by operating and maintaining the levees and the District’s canals and pump stations in a safe, efficient and reliable manner. RD1000 maintains approximately 55,000 acres in Sacramento and Sutter counties.
Stevan Allen, RD 1000, http://Stevan Allen, 1 9167182999, [email protected]
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