Prepare for winter winds, floods, and rain at Dec. 9 workshop

Drop in for a workshop to learn how to prepare for winter rains, winds, and flooding with hands-on activities and demonstrations.

At this event, you’ll learn how to help prevent flooding by adopting a storm drain. We’ll teach you how stormwater travels through Berkeley. You can ask questions as we discuss power outages and downed line safety, and walk away with sandbags to take home.  

With heavier rains anticipated this winter due to El Niño, it is an important time to equip ourselves for the unusual wet conditions ahead.

Event activities to help prepare your household for winter storms

The majority of workshop activities and demonstrations will take place on West Street, near the Strawberry Creek Park Playground. Workshop events are designed to be accessible and engaging for all ages and abilities.

We’ll have activities you can participate in:

• Volunteer to Adopt a Storm Drain in your neighborhood.
• Fill and learn how to place sandbags to protect your home and take some home for free.
• Take a guided walk with staff through Strawberry Creek to learn more about how to be a friend to Berkeley’s precious stormwater infrastructure and the broader ecosystem of the Bay.

We’ll also have presentations you can learn from or just observe:

• A mini-Berkeley diorama showing how stormwater travels through our city and how you can protect our watershed.
• Public Works’ flood-fighting equipment that jettisons water.
• A display of the eclectic items that can obstruct our stormwater system.

Resources and information from other vendors will also be available to help you get prepared for winter storms.

Use AC Transit's Trip planner to get to the site by bus. Use one of our bike boulevards to arrive by bike. If you do drive, please park responsibly and avoid blocking nearby driveways. Limited parking is available for this event at the Berkeley Corporation Yard at 1326 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94702.

Preparing for winter weather

Each year, we prepare for rain, wind, and storms. However, this year is anticipated to have wetter than average conditions due to El Niño.

Prepare for winter weather by signing up for AC Alert, exploring Berkeley’s emergency map, creating an emergency kit. If you have a property that needs sandbags, have them on hand as soon as you can.

At our Saturday event, you can also give input for the City’s 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan to our Office of Emergency Services. This plan aims to identify main hazards that pose a threat to our city, outline actions the City takes to address these challenges, and list actions the public can take to reduce those risks.

Year-round work to protect you from winter storms

The City works year-round to mitigate the impacts of the rainy season. Public Works maintains approximately 7,000 storm drains, including inspections, cleanout, and repair – and intensifies that work in the days before specific large storms.

The City’s green infrastructure projects temper storm water to reduce flooding and pollutants while beautifying neighborhoods. The City's Forestry Division prunes trees throughout the year to keep them healthy, which is critical for events like the coming storms.

This preparedness workshop is organized by the City's Office of Emergency Services as well as the departments of Public Works, and Parks, Recreation and Waterfront.

Come out on December 9 to learn how to better prepare your household and your neighborhood for winter rains, winds and potential flooding.

Links

• Winter Storm Preparedness
• Adopt a Storm Drain
• Emergency Notifications
• Community Emergency Response Team Trainings
• 2019 Hazard Mitigation Plan