Flooding and debris flow prevention remain county concern after rain

Santa Barbara County residents received 1 to 4 inches of rain from Oct. 24 to 25, with the Alisal fire burn area receiving about 3.5 inches of rain, according to the county’s rainfall report.

Now, the county’s looking toward future flooding, debris flow, and mudslide prevention and safety, Public Information Officer Lael Wageneck said. 

click to enlarge Flooding and debris flow prevention remain county concern after rain
SCREENSHOT FROM SANTA BARBARA COUNTY PRESS CONFERENCE
RAINFALL : Several departments—including Santa Barbara County Public Works—attended an Alisal Fire burn readiness press conference on Oct. 22 to discuss preparations and action recommendations for residents.

“We were very fortunate today [Oct. 25] that we didn’t have any mudslides or debris flow, but the Alisal fire area will be of concern for the next three to five years,” Wageneck said. 

Burn areas will remain focal points during rainfall for that time frame because the damaged soil and lack of vegetation can’t absorb water, and instead could wash away. Wageneck recalled that the 2018 mudslide in Montecito—the largest in California’s history—came after the Thomas and Whittier fires. 

Along with the Alisal fire burn area above Refugio State Beach, there will be eyes on the Kay fire (2019) burn area, and the Thomas fire (2017-18) area, Wageneck said. 

“That area [Thomas fire] kept producing debris a year or two after the debris flow on Jan. 9, 2018, we saw large rocks come through the watersheds,” he said.

Damage from rainfall remains a future concern in the state as the weather gets hotter and drier due to climate change. According to New York Times reporting on a 2018 study, the state will experience longer dry seasons, and shorter more intense wet seasons, and the bursts of rain after dry spells are expected to double and be extremely damaging. 

Wageneck said he wants safety to be the top priority through a shared effort between the Public Works Department and residents.

“The rainy season is just starting. There will be potential for disasters in the future,” he said. “We had little to no damage today, but the burn areas are still areas of concern for years to come. ... The next steps related to the burn area would be rock scaling operations, which is: If we are concerned there are rocks that could fall on the road, we will take those rocks down to control that and stop causing damage.” 

Public Works can’t start doing those projects until fire agencies leave the area, Wageneck said. The Alisal fire remains 97 percent contained. 

The Public Works Department is working with county residents to spread the word about safety during California Flood Preparedness week from Oct. 23 to 30. The department handed out pre- and post-flooding guides, encouraged residents to sign up for county alerts, and pointed to sandbag distribution centers for home flood prevention.

Santa Maria residents can pick up sandbags at the Flood Control Shop—912 W. Foster Road—and can take up to 25 bags, Wageneck said. 

“The main message is always: Be safe. Public safety is a shared responsibility. We make sure flood control channels are clear, and it’s up to members of the public to make sure their private property is safe,” he said. 

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