StormReady

Local Agencies' Roles and Responsibilities

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County of Sacramento

Each year the residents of Sacramento County face the potential for localized or widespread flooding. The Sacramento County Department of Water Resources actively prepares for this each year by effectively completing routine maintenance tasks, mitigating known flooding problems and proactively preparing resources to provide residents with the highest level of protection, preparedness and response possible.

• Maintenance of the Local Drainage System - One of the first lines of defense against flooding is the local drainage system. This is comprised of a network of underground storm drain pipes, open channels, creeks, pumps and detention basins. This system serves to carry runoff away from streets and homes in most of the storms we experience each winter. Regular maintenance of this system is important to managing storm runoff. The County Water Resources staff has a proactive drainage maintenance program which includes cleaning drain inlets, laterals, creeks and waterways and regular maintenance of pump stations. In fact, more than 100 miles of storm drain pipe and 200 miles of creeks and channels are cleaned annually by County Water Resources crews.

  Additionally, the County is continually making improvements to the drainage system to reduce the chances for flooding. These improvements include: enlarging storm drains and underground drainage pipes as well as providing back up power, increased pump capacity and automated debris removal systems in the local drain pump stations.

• ALERT System - The County maintains an Automated Local Evaluation in Real Time (ALERT) system. Developed through a network of 52 gauging stations this ALERT system collects rainfall and stream-level data and provides Web site updates every 15 minutes.

• 875-RAIN - A hotline number, 875-RAIN (875-7246), is used for residents of the County unincorporated areas, and the cities of Rancho Cordova and Citrus Heights to report drainage problems during a storm or to request drainage maintenance. Some of the early actions include opening sandbag distribution centers so that the public can protect their flood-prone homes, and patrolling County levees (in concert with our levee maintenance districts) to monitor the rising water, the conditions of the levees and to report and react to any problem on the levees such as a boil, seepage or erosion.

• Emergency Response - When our regular monitoring of weather conditions and flow releases in the American and Sacramento Rivers indicates that severe rainfall and other weather conditions have the likelihood to result in widespread flooding, County personnel begin to take additional actions. In consultation with Water Resources, the County Executive, and the City of Sacramento, the County Emergency Operations Office will open up the Joint City/County Emergency Operations Center and begin staffing the center in preparation for a large scale emergency. The Emergency Operations Center acts as a central point of coordination and communication of activities and conditions in the field and is staffed with representatives of law enforcement, fire, health care, transportation, flood control and other local, state and federal agencies involved in responding to emergencies.

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SAFCA

The Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency's (SAFCA) mission is to provide the region with at least a 100-year level of flood protection as quickly as possible while seeking a 200-year or greater level of protection over time. Under the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency Act of 1990, the California Legislature has given SAFCA broad authority to finance flood control projects and has directed the Agency to carry out its flood control responsibilities in ways that provide optimum protection to the natural environment.

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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The Army Corps of Engineers flood control efforts range from small, local protection projects (levees or non-structural flood control measures) to major dams. In addition to building projects, the Corps of Engineers, through its Flood Plain Management Services, advises communities, industries, and property owners on protection measures they can take themselves, such as zoning regulations, warning systems and flood proofing.

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Maintenance District #9

Maintenance Areas in Sacramento County are formed for the purpose of providing maintenance on flood control levees. The maintenance work is provided by the State Department of Water Resources. The authorized services include levee maintenance, flood patrolling, and emergency repairs. At the present time, Sacramento County has one flood control Maintenance Area known as Maintenance Area #9 and is located on the east bank of the Sacramento River between Sutterville Road and Snodgrass Slough.

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American River Flood Control District

The American River Flood Control District has been providing flood protection to the citizens of the Sacramento community for over 75 years. Formed by an act of the State Legislature in 1927 our mission is to protect the citizens in our District by maintaining the 40 miles of levees along the American River and portions of Steelhead, Arcade, Dry and Magpie Creeks. Year round maintenance activities are designed to prevent degradation of the levees' structural stability and to keep the surface of the levees accessible and clearly visible so problems can be detected and flood emergency equipment can be moved in when needed.

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Reclamation District Number 1000

The mission and purpose of Reclamation District Number 1000 is to operate and maintain the levees surrounding the Natomas Basin and to operate and maintain the internal drainage system to evacuate agricultural and urban runoff.