Get ready for heavy rains on Friday night and through Saturday

Published online on Morgan Hill Life’s website December 9, 2022

Historic photo courtesy Valley Water
The Upper Llagas Creek project is in part intended to prevent flooding in the downtown and other areas of Morgan Hill.

According to a San Francisco Chronicle story:

“A strong low-pressure system over the Gulf of Alaska will spin into California late Friday night and into Saturday morning, bringing round-after-round of heavy rain and snow showers to the coast. These showers will spread to the Bay Area and Sierra Nevada by Saturday afternoon, becoming more intense along ski resorts and passes in the Tahoe area through Sunday morning. Bursts of rain and winds will then spread south along Highway 1, encompassing the LA and San Diego metros by Sunday afternoon. The stage is set for a statewide winter storm that will introduce some challenges for residents and travelers alike all weekend long.”

A December 9, 2022 Valley Water Press Release:

The National Weather Service is forecasting a storm this weekend that could deliver between 1 to 1.5 inches of rain across Santa Clara County, continuing what is already a wet start to December. So far this month, San Jose has received more than 1 inch of rain.

Although Valley Water is not expecting any significant impacts, our employees are working hard to ensure our waterways remain clear of debris and blockages. Valley Water owns and manages 294 miles of the more than 800 miles of creeks in the county. Valley Water regularly inspects streams and bank conditions, and our crews have been cleaning out areas of creeks that are known hot spots for vegetation and debris buildup. These areas were checked and cleaned following the storm last week.

Our employees will continue to clean out waterways throughout the winter. These storms also serve as a good reminder for our community to prepare now for future storms. Please visit our website at valleywater.org/floodready/ for flood safety tips, sandbag locations and other resources.

“As we welcome a wet start to the winter season, it’s important to remember that flooding can happen anytime it rains,” Valley Water Chair Pro Tem John L. Varela said. “While our community continues to cope with the impact of the drought emergency in Santa Clara County, we must also be ready for storms that can cause flooding.”

Valley Water also relies on the public’s help to report creek blockages and other issues. To report issues in creeks, residents can call 1-408-630-2378 or visit our website at valleywater.org.

Climate change is resulting in hotter and more extreme weather events, with potentially longer and more severe droughts. Experts say that California needs at least one well-above-average water year, and maybe more, to end the drought and replenish reservoirs.

Because Santa Clara County remains in a drought emergency it’s critical that residents and businesses continue water-savings efforts. Earlier this year, the Valley Water Board of Directors adopted watering rules to help residents and businesses save water during the drought. These rules prohibit property owners in Santa Clara County from watering within 48 hours of rainfall measuring a quarter inch or more.