As stormy weather approaches Sacramento, city crews are asking residents to help keep storm drains clear this leaf season to prevent flooding and other safety issues.Leaf season officially began Monday in the city, activating a seasonal service to manage the piles of leaves accumulating in neighborhoods. “The Claw” picks up excess green waste from city streets November through January.Residents are advised to leave enough space between leaf piles and the curb to allow water to reach storm drains, ensuring that crews can efficiently collect the leaves without obstruction. Residents are also encouraged to fill their green bins first, with any overflow being piled for collection. “You definitely want to keep an eye out for your pile,” said Jesa David, a spokesperson for the city of Sacramento. “Leaves pretty quickly become very heavy and very waterlogged and can spread around into storm drains and bike lanes, which is a safety issue and also can lead to some localized flooding.”Flooding should be reported to 311.The city offers a collection calendar online where residents can enter their address for specific collection dates. Additionally, the free “Sac-Recycle” app provides reminders, though collection dates may change frequently.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

As stormy weather approaches Sacramento, city crews are asking residents to help keep storm drains clear this leaf season to prevent flooding and other safety issues.

Leaf season officially began Monday in the city, activating a seasonal service to manage the piles of leaves accumulating in neighborhoods. “The Claw” picks up excess green waste from city streets November through January.

Residents are advised to leave enough space between leaf piles and the curb to allow water to reach storm drains, ensuring that crews can efficiently collect the leaves without obstruction.

Residents are also encouraged to fill their green bins first, with any overflow being piled for collection.

“You definitely want to keep an eye out for your pile,” said Jesa David, a spokesperson for the city of Sacramento. “Leaves pretty quickly become very heavy and very waterlogged and can spread around into storm drains and bike lanes, which is a safety issue and also can lead to some localized flooding.”

Flooding should be reported to 311.

The city offers a collection calendar online where residents can enter their address for specific collection dates. Additionally, the free “Sac-Recycle” app provides reminders, though collection dates may change frequently.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel