Volume 11| February 2019
Dear Friends,
Please be advised: According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Russian River is expected to crest  Wednesday night  at 45.9 feet in Guerneville.

The Lower Russian River area has not seen this level of flooding  since 1997 , during which 27 inches of rain fell over nine days in the Russian River Basin, according to the NOAA database. 


Today, we're even better prepared to come through that level of flooding than we were 22 years ago. At the County, our Emergency Operations Center is working on evacuation strategies to ensure the safety of every single one of our residents. Please note:

Our emergency personnel are working around the clock, monitoring the hot spots that they know so well. Our roads crews are working furiously to clear mudslides and ditches and keep as many roads open as possible — while also putting up signage to keep people from driving on flooded roads. Our local firefighters are, as usual, doing an absolutely heroic job rescuing folks from flooded trailers, making preparations for anticipated isolation of some communities, and addressing tree falls. They are truly our safety net out in West County, and we are lucky to have so many experienced firefighters who have been through — and helped the community get through — many floods. 

Chief Steve Baxman was up all night and has already pulled people out of flooded areas. Take this as a warning: the key is to get ready ahead of time. Pay attention to any alerts you receive... and remember, you don’t have to wait for an alert to prepare! We anticipate messaging going out via Nixle, SoCoAlert, and other emergency channels in the near future. If Baxman comes knocking, you know it's probably past time to leave!

Read more to learn how to stay alert, stay aware and stay ahead of this thing. The good thing (if there is one) about floods is that we know when they're coming and we can get everyone out ahead of time. 
We're all in this together; hang in there. 

Cheers,

Lynda
Flooding Forecast
According to the latest forecast from NOAA , the Russian River is expected to crest at 45.9 feet on Wednesday, February 27 at 11 p.m. Flood stage (32 feet) is expected around 6 p.m. tonight.

Please note that the Sheriff's Office will be issuing evacuation orders later today. The warnings will be issued through Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA), SoCoAlert, Nixle and all of the County's social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter and Nextdoor.

It is also important to note that forecasts can change dramatically from one issuance to the next! To stay most up to date on forecasts, flooding and power outages, check out the following links below:


Additional flood safety tips include:

  • Monitor local media and sign up for alerts at www.socoalert.org and www.nixle.com
  • Avoid walking or driving through flood waters. Turn Around, Don’t Drown!
  • Drivers are encouraged to observe road closures and use detour routes. Road closures and restrictions can be found at roadconditions.sonoma-county.org.
  • Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down, 1 foot can sweep away a small car, and 2 feet of water can carry away most vehicles.
  • If there is a chance of flash flooding, move immediately to higher ground.
  • If floodwaters rise around your car but the water is not moving, abandon the car and move to higher ground. Remain in the car if the water is moving.
  • Avoid camping or parking along streams, rivers, and creeks during heavy rainfall. These areas can flood quickly and with little warning.

Please call Transportation and Public Works at 707-565-5100 to report a road obstruction from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Sheriff’s Office at 707-565-212 after hours.
Sand bags available in west county sites
In preparation for forecasted flooding of the Russian River, the county has staged sandbags in three communities within the lower Russian River area, including:

Monte Rio:

Sand and sandbags are located at the intersection of Main Street and Fir Road by the tennis courts.

Forestville:

Sand and sandbags are located at the Forestville Fire Station .                
 
Guerneville:                 
 
Sand and sandbags are located at the Park and Ride past Safeway. 

In addition, the City of Sebastopol has sand and sandbags available to city residents, located behind the Community Cultural Center Youth Annex building.        

A complete list of sandbag locations, including those available at hardware stores can be found on the county's emergency websit e .
Power outage safety: Tips from PG&E
Along with flooding, it is important to be aware that the atmospheric river and storm could cause potential power outages, according to our liaison at PG&E. Customers can get updates on outages in their neighborhood through a variety of channels:

  • Check online at: https://m.pge.com/#outages
  • Call the outage information line at 1-800-473-5002
  • Log-in to your account through pge.com and sign up to receive proactive outage alerts through email, text or phone

It is important to remember to stay safe during these stormy conditions:

  • These wet and windy conditions have caused trees, limbs and other debris to fall into power lines, damage equipment and interrupt electric service.
  • Due to continued saturated soils and the potential for tree failures, additional residual outage activity is likely.
  • If you or your organization are clearing debris, mud or dirt, or you are doing work anywhere that the earth might have moved during the storms, please contact 811 (toll free) before digging or moving dirt, so that PG&E can send out someone to mark utility lines in your area.
  • PG&E reminds customers to keep a safe distance from PG&E crews responding to outages in their neighborhoods. Public safety is our top priority.
  • During an outage, use battery-operated flashlights, and not candles, due to the risk of fire. If you must use candles, keep them away from drapes, lampshades, holiday trees and small children. Do not leave candles unattended.
  • If your power goes out, unplug or turn off all electric appliances to avoid overloading circuits and fire hazards when power is restored. Simply leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns. Turn your appliances back on one at a time when conditions return to normal.

  • Street lights: At night, the streets will be much darker than usual and will look different. Follow all posted speed limits – or drive a bit slower. Use turn signals when changing lanes and especially at corners with crosswalks.
 
  • Traffic Signals: If traffic signals are out or flashing red, come to a full stop at every intersection, and proceed as you would at a four-way stop.
 
  • Children and pedestrians: When driving, watch for children and pedestrians crossing streets in or out of the crosswalk. They may be wearing dark clothing and be difficult to see. If you are walking at night, take a flashlight with you and wear light-colored or light-reflective clothing.
 
If you have a generator, inform PG&E and do not use it unless it is installed safely and properly. If it is not, you risk damaging your property and endangering yourself and PG&E line workers who may be working on nearby power lines. Information on the safe installation of generators can be found on our website at pge.com/generator.
Prep before the flood
Here are some key tips to securing your property and keeping the Russian River healthy during times of flooding. These tips are especially important for residents who live in areas prone to areas that flood at 36’ or higher:

  1. Tie down your propane tanks and garbage cans
  2. Remove household chemicals, motor oil and pesticides from ground story garages
  3. Place carpeting, outdoor furniture and other large items to higher ground
Fifth District Supervisor Lynda Hopkins | County of Sonoma | 707-565-2241
Lynda.Hopkins@sonoma-county.org