Information on November-December 2012 Storms

Truckee River May Exceed Flood Stage On Sunday

Emergency services personnel on the eastern end of Placer County are advising residents and visitors that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting that the Truckee River, along Highway 89 and near the Placer/Nevada County line, may exceed flood stage. NOAA is predicting the river will reach near 8 feet between 3:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Sunday. Flood stage for this portion of the river is 4.5 feet.

A series of very wet storms is affecting the Northern California area, beginning with a storm that arrived Wednesday afternoon. The storm predicted to arrive Saturday afternoon and continue through Sunday is expected to bring periods of heavy rain to the Sierra. Snow levels with the system will start near 7,500 to 8,000 feet and may rise as high as 10,000 feet early Sunday morning. Snow levels will lower Sunday, but may not fall below 8,000 feet until Sunday afternoon.

Rainfall amounts of three to five inches are possible from the Lake Tahoe Basin northward to western Lassen County, with higher amounts up to seven inches along and west of Highway 89. The rapid rise in flow and water levels is due to intense rainfall over a short period of time on already saturated ground. Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause elevated levels on small creeks and streams and ponding of water in developed areas, highways, streets and underpasses, as well as other poor drainage areas and low lying spots.

Emergency officials are advising residents, visitors and all motorists:

• Not drive a vehicle into areas where the water covers the roadway. The water depth may be too great to allow your vehicle to cross safely;
• To pay special attention in areas beneath recent burn scars as these areas will be susceptible to debris flow;
• That the high water levels and flow rates are dangerous and may produce flooding and damage to homes and property along the Truckee River in the Highway 89 corridor;
• Residents in affected areas should take active precautions, monitor conditions closely during the period noted above and evacuate the area if needed; and
• Sand and sandbags are available at the following locations:
• Old Squaw Valley fire station, 1810 Squaw Valley Rd.
• North Tahoe Fire Station 52, 288 North Shore Blvd, Kings Beach (Intersection of Hwys 267 & 28);
• Truckee: Truckee Fire Station 92, 11473 Donner Pass Rd., and Truckee Ranger Station parking lot, 10811 Stockrest Spring Rd.

If you are in an area that may be affected by rising water, take the following steps:

• Make an evacuation plan:- what to take, where to go, how to stay in touch;
• If you think you might need to evacuate, go. If you delay you will probably be trapped;
• No matter what happens, STAY OUT OF THE WATER! Debris in flood runoff and high flows make it extremely dangerous to attempt to retrieve objects or rescue people; and
• Stay calm, think clearly and be decisive. When in doubt, call 911 and ask for help.

Sand and sandbags are available at various locations throughout Placer County and Truckee. For a complete listing, please click this link SANDBAGS.

Placer County has created a storm information page that will be updated as information becomes available. That page can be found by clicking on this link: STORM INFORMATION. 

 

County Urges Residents to be Ready For Rising Water in Creeks and Streams

Placer County emergency officials are urging residents to be prepared for rapidly rising water levels in local streams and creeks today through Sunday.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for Placer and many other counties throughout Northern California that is scheduled to remain in effect until 5:15 p.m. today. A flood advisory means river or stream flows are elevated or ponding in urban or other areas is occurring or imminent.

The NWS advisory says the storm that is moving across Northern California could cause minor flooding along streams and in urban areas that have poor drainage or are low-lying spots.

The Placer County Office of Emergency Services (OES) is urging West Placer residents who live near streams and creeks to monitor water levels closely and move to higher ground if they feel threatened. In emergency situations, residents should call 9-1-1.

Historically, streams and creeks that have been prone to flooding in West Placer include Dry Creek, Miners Ravine, Linda Creek, Auburn Ravine and Markham Ravine.

Emergency officials also are advising West Placer residents to avoid traveling to Truckee and along Highway 89 between Truckee and Tahoe City. The NWS has issued a flood warning for the Truckee River, forecasting major flooding for the Truckee Basin. The flood warning is scheduled to last from late Saturday night to Monday morning.

A flood watch issued by the NWS for Placer and other counties in Northern California is scheduled to remain in effect through Sunday afternoon. A flood watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts. The NWS expects another round of heavy rain to hit Northern California Saturday afternoon and to continue through Sunday.

OES is monitoring NWS and other storm data closely in coordination with other agencies such as the Placer County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, local cities, utility companies and fire departments.

“Local emergency agencies are doing everything they can to protect residents and their property,” said Placer County Public Works Director Ken Grehm. “Residents can help keep themselves and their families safe by taking common-sense precautions, avoiding situations that place them in danger and monitoring storm news closely.”

OES is advising residents who live in areas prone to flooding to take preventative steps such as placing sandbags wherever needed. A list of retail outlets and bulk vendors who sell sand and sandbags is available on the county website at www.placer.ca.gov. A “Storm Information” link is located on the upper left corner of the home page.

The “Storm Information” page also has a list of fire stations and other locations where residents who live in unincorporated communities and rural areas can pick up sand and sandbags.

Placer County officials also are urging West Placer residents to avoid driving vehicles into areas where water covers roadways. Water levels may be too deep to allow vehicles to pass safely. Residents should abandon vehicles and move to higher ground immediately if vehicles stall. Many people drown while trying to rescue their vehicles.

The Flood Control District also is advising residents to:

• Avoid areas subject to sudden flooding;
• Avoid trying to cross flowing streams where water is above the knees because residents could be swept away by strong currents;
• Not sightsee in flooded areas or try to enter areas blocked off by local authorities;
• Avoid unnecessary trips, and dress warmly and advise others of destinations when traveling during storms;
• Monitor radio, television or online news sites for emergency information and instructions from authorities;
• Keep vehicles fueled in case power outages interrupt service station operations;
• Know safe routes from home or work that lead to higher ground;
• Store drinking water in closed, clean containers in case water service is interrupted;
• If flooding is likely and time permits, move essential items and furniture to higher ground, such as the upper floors of homes; and
• If advised by local authorities to leave home, move to safe areas promptly before access is cut off by flood waters.

Important Telephone Numbers and Online Sites
In Emergencies, Call 9-1-1

American Red Cross
Go online to www.redcrosscrc.org or call 916-993-7070.

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
For road conditions on state highways, go online to www.dot.ca.gov or call the Caltrans road information number: 1-800-427-7623.

In this infrared satellite image taken Fri., Nov 30, 2012, Most of Northern California is shown under heavy rainfall.

Liberty Utilities (provides electricity to North Lake Tahoe communities in Placer County)
Go online to www.libertyutilities.com/west or call customer service at 800-782-2506. Online, the company has a form that can be filled out and submitted, which sends an immediate email to all appropriate Liberty Utilities personnel.

The National Weather Service
Updated weather information is available online at http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sto/.

Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
PG&E advises customers who smell natural gas, see downed power lines or suspect other emergency situations to leave the area immediately and then call 9-1-1 and PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
Customer Service: 1-800-743-5000
Electric Outage Information: 1-800-743-5002
Natural Gas System Information: 1-888-743-7431

County Making Sandbags Available as Part of Storm-Planning Effort

Infrared satellite image of an approaching storm over Northern California.

Nov. 29, 2012

Placer County is making sand and sandbags available to residents in unincorporated areas as part of its preparations for a series of storms scheduled to last through the weekend.

“Several county departments have been busy all week preparing for the storms, and will have crews working throughout the weekend to assist the public,” said County Executive Officer David Boesch. “Several preventative steps taken by departments over the last few months and years also will play important roles in helping protect residents and their property during this week’s storms.”

He noted that the Placer County Flood Control and Water Conservation District recently completed its annual effort to remove debris and other obstructions from local creeks that are prone to flooding. Over the past several years, the Placer County Public Works Department has made tree and vegetation maintenance a priority, so fewer trees fall in roadways and across power and telephone lines during storms.

The National Weather Service expects heavy precipitation with prolonged high rainfall rates to begin today and continue through the weekend. It has issued a flood watch that is scheduled to remain in effect from this afternoon through Sunday afternoon. A flood watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts.

The heaviest precipitation is expected north of Placer County over eastern Butte and western Plumas counties and in the mountains north of Redding.

“In Placer County, we anticipate rainfall accumulations that will be significant,” Placer County Assistant Director of Emergency Services Rui Cunha explained. “Localized flooding is likely, including ponding on roadways, minor flooding in low-lying areas, clogged drains and backyard flooding. At this point we do not anticipate major flooding, but the potential is there for streams to overflow their banks.”

To help prepare for heavy rain, Public Works crews have been busy all week continuing to clean out drain inlets and culverts by hand or with street sweepers. During the storms, crews will patrol roadways to clear blockages as they arise whenever possible.

Public Works also has workers and equipment ready to respond in the mountains in case snow levels are lower than predicted.

The Facility Services Department has been hard at work making sure county buildings and parks are ready for wet, windy weather. The Building Maintenance Division has been focused on clearing gutters and drain spouts and taking other steps to protect county buildings and the Parks and Grounds Division has been cleaning out drains as part of its efforts to avoid localized flooding at county parks.

Several county departments are monitoring storm data closely, and will have crews on stand-up, ready to help if needed. That is the case at the Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center, which has adequate staffing scheduled to handle projected call volumes, but also is prepared to call in additional staff if necessary.

The Placer County Office of Emergency Services is monitoring information from utilities, Public Works, the Flood Control District and other agencies and is prepared to help coordinate responses if major flooding occurs. The Flood Control District provides regular stream-flow data updates.

As part of their annual preparations for the winter storm season, district officials updated their Flood Response Handbook and distributed it Monday and attended a recent California Department of Water Resource’s pre-season flood coordination meeting for local and state flood officials.

Placer County will provide storm information, key telephone numbers, sand and sandbag locations, and other storm-related information through a link on its home page at www.placer.ca.gov.

Sand and Sandbag Locations

Nov. 29, 2012

Flooding frequently occurs throughout the county during and after periods of heavy rainfall. Therefore, everyone with homes at risk should take precautions before the rainy season and be prepared for the worst. Whereas the County does not provide free sand and sandbags as preventative or precautionary measures, it does preposition sand and sandbags at various locations in order to be prepared for emergencies, as they occur. City residents should contact their city offices to learn of any city-operated locations where sand and sandbags may be procured. In addition to Home Depot, sand and gravel businesses, etc, the following fire stations and Department of Public Works Corporation yards in the unincorporated County normally have sand and sandbags to be distributed, as available, for emergencies occurring in the unincorporated area:

Alta: CAL FIRE Station 33, 33752 Alta Forestry Road;

Auburn Area: Placer County Fire Station 180, 11645 Atwood Road, and the Higgins Fire Station, 10106 Combie Road;

Granite Bay: South Placer Fire Station 17, 6900 Eureka Road;

Homewood: North Tahoe Fire Station 53, 5425 West Lake Blvd;

Kings Beach: North Tahoe Fire Station 52, 288 North Shore Blvd. at the intersection of Highways 267 and 28;

Lincoln: Placer County Fire Station 70, 1112 Wise Road, and Placer County Fire Station 74, 8500 North Forbes Road in the Thermalands area;

Loomis: Loomis Fire Station 28, 5840 Horseshoe Bar Road;

Meadow Vista: Placer Hills Fire Station 84, 16999 Placer Hills Road;

Ophir: Placer County Fire Station 182, 9405 Wise Road;

Northstar: Northstar Community Services District Corporation Yard, 50 Trimont Lane off of Northstar Boulevard;

Paige: Placer County Fire Station 75, 5584 Nicolaus Road;

Penryn: Penryn Fire Station 38, 7206 Church Street;

Roseville: Placer County Fire Station 100 in the Dry Creek area, 8350 Cook Riolo Road;

Sheridan: Placer County Fire Station 78, 4952 Riosa Road;

Squaw Valley: the Old Squaw Valley Fire Station, 1810 Squaw Valley Road, at the west end of the valley near the ski lifts;

Tahoe City: Placer County Department of Public Works Corporation Yard, 2501 North Lake Blvd.; and

Truckee: Truckee Fire Station 92, 11473 Donner Pass Road.
                  Truckee Ranger Station parking lot, 10811 Stockrest Spring Rd.