Storm season preparations are ongoing across California

By SDCN Editor

Sacramento, CA–As several areas of California face wet weather expected to continue through next week, the state is sharing multilingual resources, deploying a network of community-based organizations through the Listos California campaign, and highlighting other work underway to protect at-risk communities this rainy season.

Storm season can bring unpredictable and severe weather conditions, so it’s important to stay informed, have an emergency plan in place, and follow the guidance of local authorities to navigate the challenges that may arise during these weather events.

Californians can sign up for a 5-lesson text message course through Listos California on what to do before, during, and after floods, high winds, debris flows, and other storm impacts. This course is available in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Punjabi. Text “CAWINTER” to 20202 via SMS to sign up.

The state this year has more flood-fighting materials prepositioned in vulnerable communities, including 2.2 million more sandbags. The State-Federal Flood Operations Center supported pre-season emergency response coordination meetings across the state, and the Department of Water Resources has provided flood fight training to 38 cities, tribal partners, reclamation, and district agencies this year so far in 23 counties across the state.

Newsom, in partnership with the Legislature, invested a total of $436 million in the most recent budget to support flood response and projects to protect communities from future flooding, including $95 million in funding made available this fall for projects to repair levees, enhance flood diversion and recharge capacity, and support communities impacted by record flooding this year.

Here’s what else the state is doing:

• The governor signed an urgency measure to expedite critical levee upgrades and speed up construction of the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project while maintaining important environmental and water quality protections. The Governor previously signed legislation in 2021 and 2022 to advance funds for the project and cover up to 100 percent of non-federal costs.
• DWR, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are closely coordinating to ensure the state’s reservoirs have flood space available for a second year of flood conditions while storing as much water as possible for supply later in 2024.
• DWR supports forecast-informed reservoir operations (FIRO) assessments, which use improved weather and water forecasts to help reservoir operators decide when to release or hold water.
• Forecasting and warning data from tools and research developed by DWR and academic partners this year help keep partner agencies and the public up to date on potential flood threats during storms and inform emergency response efforts.

 California residents can visit the National Weather Service for current weather patterns in their area.