State Asked to Help Central Coast Prepare For a Possibly Very Wet Winter

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY,  Calif. (KEYT) - The forecast of a wet winter is too real to ignore, and local leaders are getting set if it should materialize.

The Santa Barbara County Association of Government  (SBCAG) is asking Governor Gavin Newsom to issue a statewide order to expedite work to reduce flood risks. A letter to Newsom has been authorized and supported by local cities and the county. In it asks in part, for the state "to provide all available funding, equipment, personnel, technical support, emergency-planning assistance, and other resources to help local communities prepare for a worst-case flooding scenario this winter."

Forecasters say there is a 69% chance of a historic El Niño that would exceed the strength of previous El Niño events dating back to 1950.

Montecito is on area that is not known to handle strong continuous rainfall. One reason is the lack of concrete drainage areas which is part of the coastal character of the region. The concrete channels do exist in many areas of Carpinteria and Santa Barbara.

Help from the state, combined with work from the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department, will continue to clear vegetation that could become a problem in big storms by clogging waterways and leading to unexpected areas of flooding.

SBCAG stresses the benefits of work in advance of a disaster and the tremendous costs that come after an event if cleanup and repairs could take years of works, permits and the attempts at funding assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Already this year, the county has warned that FEMA support may come at a slower pace based on policy decisions from Washington.

Kris Bigham is a camp host who also has concerns. "I don't even know how they (FEMA) do it with all the disasters we have.  They gotta be upside down and they are over over extended ."

Flood control crews have been digging out vegetation from creeks  and creating the maximum space for rainfall runoff.

A former local planner Addison Thompson in Santa Barbara Thursday said, "they are doing the right thing trying to be proactive and do things ahead of time rather than wait and try and fix it after it is already bad."

Many people have experienced the bad storms in their neighborhoods or on local roads. "Yea, flooded freeways, the whole bit. In the city we have  had the water get into homes. I  don't miss that at all," said Synthia Pilic.

In addition to creek clearing, opening debris basins has been a priority. "Once it starts flowing, it flows pretty fast. Having a basin that is in place helps to hold it until it trickles out rather than comes out all at once, " said Thompson.

If we have a major incident Thompson says the local residents can be very responsive. I think we ought to be doing more to take care of ourselves rather than depending on someone  like  FEMA  coming in later  and fix it."

Bingham agrees.

"I just feel like the community is very strong here. and do what needs to be done even if they don't have to."

For more emergency information go to. ReadySBC.org

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