“New Efforts to Protect Communities from Record-Breaking Rainfall in Northern California”
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VACAVILLE – New efforts are underway to help protect communities from the kinds of record-breaking rainfall we saw in Northern California last winter.
We’re getting answers on what the City of Vacaville is doing to protect people who live in flood-prone areas.
Vacaville’s Tulare Drive looked more like a lake last January, with the strong winter storms causing significant street flooding.
“The water in the middle of the street is 3 or 4 feet deep,” said Neil Wakabayashi, a Vacaville homeowner.
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Some people stacked sandbags around homes to help hold water back. It’s not the first time this neighborhood has seen flooding from nearby Alamo Creek.
“In 2005, we were here when it did flood, and about 5 inches got in our house,” said Michelle Welty, a Vacaville homeowner.
“We had about 6 inches of water in the garage,” said Wakabayashi.
Last year’s series of atmospheric rivers dumped four inches of rain in Vacaville in just one week.
“That’s what bust the bubble, and it creates a condition where there’s nowhere else for the water to go,” Vacaville Public Works Director Brian McLean.
McLean says there was so much runoff in Alamo Creek that water actually started flowing backward through the underground storm drain pipes and up into the neighborhoods.
“That’s a reverse flow, the creek water ends up escaping and going out into the street,” said McLean.
Now the city is taking new steps to try to stop that type of flooding in the future by installing new metal gates on the pipes to prevent flows from going in the wrong direction.
“Ultimately what we’re trying to do is keep the water in the creek,” said McLean.
The city also has a series of stormwater detention basins to help divert excess runoff.
“It’s approximately 20 feet at its deepest area,” said McLean.
One basin can hold nearly five million gallons of water and was modified this year to start diverting water sooner. Engineers are also looking at adding additional storage basins – and making the existing ones deeper – all in an effort to protect homes from another flood.
“Something needed to be done and it’s really nice to know that the city’s taking care of that,” said Welty.
Crews in Vacaville have also been working the last few months clearing debris out of creeks while water is still low and fixing erosion along the creek banks.”
New Measures Implemented to Prevent Flooding in Vacaville
VACAVILLE – After experiencing record-breaking rainfall last winter, the City of Vacaville is taking proactive steps to protect its residents from future flood events. With the installation of new metal gates on underground storm drain pipes and the modification of stormwater detention basins, city officials are confident that these measures will prevent the devastating flooding witnessed last year.
Residents of Vacaville vividly remember the scenes of streets turning into lakes due to the heavy rainfall. Tulare Drive, in particular, was severely affected, with water reaching depths of up to 4 feet. Homeowners in flood-prone areas had to resort to sandbags to protect their properties. Michelle Welty, a resident, shared her experience, stating, “In 2005, we were here when it did flood, and about 5 inches got in our house.” Neil Wakabayashi, another homeowner, added, “We had about 6 inches of water in the garage.”
Last winter’s series of atmospheric rivers resulted in four inches of rain falling in Vacaville in just one week. The excessive runoff caused Alamo Creek to overflow, leading to water flowing backward through underground storm drain pipes and into neighborhoods. This reverse flow posed a significant threat to residents’ safety. To prevent a recurrence, the city has installed new metal gates on the pipes to ensure that water flows in the correct direction, back into the creek.
Additionally, Vacaville has a system of stormwater detention basins designed to divert excess runoff. One of the basins, with a capacity of nearly five million gallons, was modified this year to start diverting water earlier. The city is also considering adding more storage basins and increasing the depth of existing ones to enhance their efficiency.
Vacaville Public Works Director Brian McLean explained, “Ultimately what we’re trying to do is keep the water in the creek.” The new measures implemented by the city aim to achieve this goal and protect homes from future flooding. Residents have expressed relief and appreciation for the city’s efforts. Welty remarked, “Something needed to be done, and it’s really nice to know that the city’s taking care of that.”
In addition to the installation of metal gates and the modification of stormwater detention basins, Vacaville’s maintenance crews have been actively clearing debris from creeks while water levels are low. They are also addressing erosion along the creek banks to further mitigate the risk of flooding.
As climate change continues to impact weather patterns, cities around the world are implementing measures to protect their communities from extreme weather events. Vacaville’s proactive approach serves as an example of how cities can adapt and safeguard their residents from the increasing threat of flooding caused by heavy rainfall..
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cbssacramento said Vacaville taking new steps to protect residents in flood-prone areas
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