FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Strong winds and heavy rain are forecast to roll into Central California, with the Valley floor expected to see impacts by Tuesday night.
As much of the state braces for wet weather, Fresno officials say they are working to keep residents safe from flooding.
“We have over 1,800 miles of roads here in Fresno, and all of them serve as drainage channels to some degree, and all of them have storm drains in them with trees that line the street. So, those leaves end up washing down to the storm drains and we got to clean them out,” said Brian Russell, assistant director for Public Works.
Russell said the biggest issue during storms is debris. City officials are urging residents to check for hazards around their homes that could lead to flooding.
“On a day like today, rake up the leaves, put them in the green waste container. Make sure that you don’t have any trash sitting around. Get all that picked up,” Russell said.
Potholes are also a concern, and city crews have been working to fill gaps ahead of the storm.
To prevent flooding, Fresno has partnered with other agencies, including the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District.
“The pump stations allow us to evacuate the storm water out of the basin and downstream to prevent any kind of localized flooding,” said operations engineer Jarrod Takemoto.
Takemoto said a basin near northeast Fresno can hold about four inches of rainfall. The district manages more than 150 drainage areas across Fresno County.
“Really, it’s all hands on deck from our standpoint for our staff to make sure that we are protecting the community,” Takemoto said.
If you find yourself on the road with flooding or downed trees, you can report it to 311 or you can use the FresGO app.
