HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 1997 1015 CC REG ITEM 09BCITY OF MOORPARK
MEMORANDUM
ITEM_
CITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA
City Council Meeting
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TO: The Honorable City Council
BY
FROM: Donald P. Reynolds Jr., Administrative Services Manager; �
DATE: October 9, 1997
SUBJECT: Staff Presentation Relative to the Preparation for Winter Storms,
( "El Nino ")
The following will report the status preparations the City is currently undertaking
for the anticipated wet winter. The "El Nino" climate condition existing off the
coats of California is one of four types of "El Nino" conditions, which range from
drought to heavy rains. This year, as much as 300% of the typical rainfall is
predicted from this type of El Nino condition. The following will explain the
status of preparations being made in the City to plan for this weather.
Intergovernmental Coordination, Planning and Drills
Over the past few months, the County has been actively planning and
coordinating the efforts of cities and the Navy to prepare for El Nino. Meetings
and planning sessions are planned through -out the month of October.
On Thursday, October 2, a full desk top exercise was conducted by the County,
and critiqued by the State Office of Emergency Services. This exercise placed
emphasis on the Local Mutual Aide Agreement, the Ventura County Operational
Area Organizational Agreement and provided a general review of flood
conditions to be expected County -wide. In the exercise, Moorpark was
represented as part of the Interagency Coordination Group. In this group, each
city, the County and the Navy are represented, to discuss County -wide policy
matters which could occur during an area wide emergency like a flood.
Moorpark could be asked to share resources with other jurisdictions, if the
status in Moorpark is sound, while other life threatening scenarios are occurring
in other cities. The County's EOC was fully operational during this exercise,
including the Superintendent of Schools, Red Cross, RACES, and other groups
not directly represented by the County or other cities.
On October 7, staff will once again meet with the County to discuss the use of
grant monies for training. This training may be specifically targeted to flood
response awareness and assistance, and at the very least, will be used to
sharpen the County -wide skills needed for disaster response.
On October 15, there will be an informational meeting in Thousand Oaks, titled
"Are You Prepared for a 100 Year Flood." This seminar is headed by an expert
in forecasting weather conditions, and will provide the most precise description
of what exactly is to be expected this winter.
Then on October 27, there will be another follow -up meeting at the County to
discuss in more detail what other agencies are doing to prepare for the winter.
This information will be used to assess Moorpark's local efforts.
Local Planning Efforts
On October 10, 1997, City staff will be meeting with other agencies involved in
the safety of Moorpark residents, to discuss any anticipated problem areas and
concerns which may be expected during El Nino. Cal- Trans, CHP, MUSD,
County Fire, County OES, County Sheriff, County Flood Control and Water
Works have been invited, as well as the City's landscape contractor. The City
Engineer's office will be describing large scale grading activities planned for this
winter or currently underway, and the City's landscape contractor will discuss
slopes maintained by the City, which have been known to be potential problem
areas in the past. If they are able to attend, Flood Control will review its
responsibilities, and provide the status of their local preparation efforts. Water
Works will review the status of the water treatment plant west of the City's
boarder, and the concerns related to maintaining a potable water supply in case
of flooding. Coordination with the Resource Center volunteers and DART team
will originate at this meeting, and be finalized within the next month.
Specifically, at this time, Public Works is coordinating the procurement of sand
bags, and eventually sand to be made available to the public for emergency
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situations. They are also reviewing capital improvement plans, and postponing
work where feasible until April.
Staff will be working on public service information to help inform the home
owner associations about how to maintain their slopes, terrace drains, and
hillsides. The video "No Way Out" will be shown on the Government Channel,
as well as any other public announcements. Emergency contacts and phone
numbers will be provided as well. As soon as the plans for sandbags are
finalized, this information will also be made public.
Generally speaking, Moorpark is in a better position than it was during the last
floods. Certain infrastructure improvements including storm drains, slope
retention on Wicks Road, and the pedestrian bridge are now in place. Irrigation
systems automatically sense when less watering is needed, to prevent watering
on already saturated soils. The 1993 rains helped to identify other potential
trouble spots, and private interests have made improvements to correct these,
(for example, the private hillside on the west slope along Spring Road, south of
the Spring Road Bridge). Most City employees are trained certified emergency
response technicians ( "CERT "), and the DART and RACES community
volunteer groups have worked recently in an exercise conducted from the City's
EOC.
Summary
Much of the work to be done in preparation for El Nino is in the planning stages
at this time. As specific tasks are completed, the Council and the public will be
kept informed. The relatively new infrastructure in our City, as well as recent
improvements to the aging infrastructure, place Moorpark in a relatively
comfortable position when compared to other jurisdictions. In the event of an
extreme emergency in Moorpark, there is some solace in knowing that other
agencies are also prepared, and may be able to assist.
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