Sonoma Public Works braces for possible flood

So far, so good, but Milenka Bates, Public Works Manager for the City of Sonoma, is taking no chances that storms will catch residents unawares.
The first thing to know, Bates said Friday, is that a “storm warning” means that there’s a storm approaching that could do damage if it should reach the area. A “storm watch” is issued when it has moved closer and flooding is possible or likely.
In case of flood warning and flood watch, the Office of Public Works will have a limited number of sandbags available free of charge at City Hall during normal business hours – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Public Works personnel will be on duty weekdays and on call after hours and through the weekend. Sand will be available free of charge at Depot Park, 270 First Street West. Residents should bring their own shovels. They may have a few available, Bates said, but “they tend to disappear.” After City Hall closes, residents must bring their own bags. Sand and sandbags are also available from Friedman Bros. Hardware located at 1360 Broadway during their normal retail hours.
Special areas of concern, Bates said, are those that have flooded in the past. She is sending notices now to those families, informing them of precautions to take. “We’ve been doing a pretty good job of cleaning up creek channels,” she said, and that may help prevent flooding. Residents can help avoid damage and loss by checking their property in advance. “We ask them to relocate or remove any items could wash away,” she said. “Take a look, if you have plants, furniture, etc. They can and will wash away. It does have an effect further down.” In Sonoma, not only weather but sea conditions are important to watch, too. “If there’s a high tide, then we really have problems.”
To report flooding or to get information or help, call the Public Works Office at 933-2230.