Residents urged to continue preparing for additional rain through the end of next week
Walnut Creek Public Works crews have been working steadily since the beginning of the storm surge on New Year’s Eve, and those efforts paid off with relatively few major incidents at City facilities, in our parks and open space, and on our streets.
Unfortunately, there have been some homes on private property impacted with flooding due to the magnitude of the storm. While Public Works responded to more than two dozen storm-related incidents on Wednesday, nearly all of them were resolved by the end of the evening. Additional Police Department dispatchers were brought in to handle the expected increased call volume. The concern now turns to impacts the saturated ground will have with trees potentially falling.
“While we know the rain is going to continue for days, the worst of it appears to be leveling off into a regular winter storm,” said Walnut Creek City Manager Dan Buckshi. “The City proactively planned for extra staffing to clear storm drains, respond to calls of localized flooding, and be available throughout the evening Wednesday night. The Public Works Maintenance Department Operations Center was in full operation mode, and the City coordinated with Contra Costa County, the Flood Control District, PG&E, the Red Cross, Contra Costa Fire, and other partners as needed.”
Community members who see any problems on roadways, with landslides or localized flooding should call the Police Department’s non-emergency number, 925-943-5844. Please use 9-1-1 only for a life-threatening emergency. The City also is urging residents to register for emergency alerts issued from Walnut Creek by texting WCALERT to the text number 888-777.
Mayor Cindy Silva also praised the preparation work for limiting the impacts of the storm. “When we asked the community to get ready, they heeded the call and prepared their homes and businesses,” Silva said. “And, it’s truly heartwarming to see so many community members reach out and support their friends and neighbors.”
Since New Year’s Eve, the City has distributed 45,000 sandbags and 650 yards of sand.
The City will continue to monitor conditions and is prepared to open its Emergency Operations Center if the need arises.
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Editors Note – for more information on sandbags, locations and other county news, click here.
