WILSON SEEKS MILLIONS TO REPAIR FLOOD DAMAGE, RESCUE TOURISM.

Byline: Dan Smith Scripps-McClatchy Western Service

Endorsing a preliminary report from his top flood advisers, Gov. Pete Wilson asked federal officials Thursday for nearly $1 billion in relief and suggested they do a better job restoring Northern California's water-logged river levees.

Wilson also called on state water officials to upgrade monitoring systems on the region's streams and rivers and ordered a $1 million media campaign to rescue the state's tourism industry, which the governor said has been socked by bad publicity.

But the Flood Emergency Action Team, which Wilson created Jan. 10 to suggest the state's immediate and long-term flood response, put off for now key recommendations that could lead to state-mandated building controls in flood plains and massive new reservoir projects.

The team's final report is due in May. It is responding to the early-January floods that inundated 250 square miles of the Central Valley, killing nine people, damaging or destroying 23,800 homes and 1,900 businesses, and forcing the evacuation of 120,000 people, the largest emergency exodus in state history.

In a letter to President Clinton, Wilson asked that California flood relief be included in an omnibus disaster relief measure the White House is expected to send to Congress. The governor detailed $881 million in federal responsibility for levee repairs, highway reconstruction and a variety of flood-related bills. In addition, the governor said, the federal government should pay for an as-yet-undetermined amount of flood damage to orchards.

The governor acknowledged the state's requests exceeds federal limits for disaster assistance. The federal cap for highway repairs, for instance, is $100 million, about one quarter of the state's requests.

``It is becoming very clear that there is a growing gap between the actual cost of the damage from the floods and the amount of money that is statutorily available with the existing cap,'' Wilson said. ``We are asking and trust that in this time of great need the White House and Congress will do what's fair for California and not shortchange us on disaster relief.''

Clinton spokesman Barry Toiv said the president had not yet received Wilson's letter, but pledged cooperation from the White House.

``The president for four years now has paid extraordinary attention to California's recovery efforts following natural disasters and fully intends to continue to do that,'' Toiv said. Wilson reported members of the House and Senate Appropriations committees had indicated support for the state's request.

The flood team report estimated the state's share at $154 million over several years.

Total damage to public and private property will be more than $1.8 billion, making it, as projected, the most expensive flood in state history, according to the report. The bulk of the damage - $500 million - was attributed to public roads and interstate highways, with $380 million in damage assessed to private homes and businesses, $300 million to flood control facilities and $250 million to agriculture.

Estimates are expected to soar higher after receding water reveals more damage, said Douglas Wheeler, Wilson's resources secretary. A state contractor, for instance, estimated damage to the state's tourism facilities at $230 million, but that amount has not been included in the total because it has not been verified.

Embracing a key recommendation from local flood advisory groups, Wilson also asked that federal crews rebuild levees to their pre-flood levels, which are designed to handle the worst flood in 100 years. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is rebuilding the levees to lower, 25-year-flood levels.

``That is not adequate for the Sacramento basin,'' Wilson said, adding that lower levees would provide an inadequate channel to carry floodwaters this spring if another significant storm hits.

The corps of engineers, meanwhile, announced Thursday that it would conduct a comprehensive study of levees in the San Joaquin and Sacramento river basins.

To improve the state's flood response, the governor ordered the state Department of Water Resources to install water metering equipment at key points in the river system. The unmetered Yuba River, in particular, fooled flood forecasters, said David Kennedy, the department director.

``We were somewhat uncertain what was coming into the Feather from the Yuba during the storm,'' Kennedy said. ``Therefore we were a little uncertain with what to do with Oroville (dam), which also pours into that system.''

Wilson ordered a $1 million media campaign to boost tourism in the state. State commerce officials fear continuing publicity from the floods will deter potential tourists who are beginning to make summer vacation plans.

Such an effect could be devastating to the industry, particularly small businesses, which ``just don't have the working capital to sustain long periods of reduced sales volume,'' said Julie Meier Wright, Wilson's commerce secretary.