SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Sacramento County has opened three sandbag locations as residents use dry weather to prepare for possible winter flooding.
The sites are open 24 hours a day for residents of unincorporated areas served by the county’s stormwater utility. The county provides bags and sand and asks people to take no more than 20 bags per visit.
“We want the public to be able to get sandbags if they need them before the rain starts,” said Matt Robinson, a county public information manager. “The whole idea is to be aware and be prepared.”
You can obtain sandbags at these locations:
Branch Center (3847 Branch Center Rd.)
Orangevale Community Center (6826 Hazel Ave.)
Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Station #116 (7995 Elwyn Ave.)
Robinson said residents should prepare for rain now because Sacramento is in a floodplain. With a strong El Niño Winter underway, there is added emphasis for some Sacramento County residents to prepare.
Linda Contreras was among those picking up sandbags Thursday. She said her backyard is prone to flooding and that she was caught unprepared last year.
“I didn’t have nothing but dog pads to put up against the house,” Contreras said. “I was like, this year I’m getting ready. I’m getting prepared.”
Contreras said she fills her sandbags only halfway so they are easier to carry and position.
Landscaper Francisco Bugarin said homeowners can also use the dry weather to prepare their yards. He recommended cleaning gutters, which may need attention more than once as leaves fall.
The county also recommends replacing old sandbags, which can deteriorate in the summer heat. Residents with questions about sandbag locations can call 311.
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