Storm Preparedness

Sandbag and Sand Stockpile Locations | County of Monterey, CA

Monterey County has experienced damaging floods over the years. Get alerted about emergencies and flood conditions by signing up for our Emergency Alert Program.

Know your Flood Risk. Prepare for Winter Storms.
Printed brochures are available at the County of Monterey Public Works, Facilities and Parks Department located at 1441 Schilling Place, 2nd Floor Salinas, CA 93901 or you may call (831) 755-4800 to request for copies.

ALISAL-ELKHORN SLOUGH WATERSHEDS
The Alisal-Elkhorn Slough Watersheds are approximately 10,000 acres. Freshwater enters Elkhorn Slough from Carneros Creek and the Pajaro River (during flood events only). When the tide ebbs, Elkhorn Slough discharges into Moss Landing Harbor, which in turn, discharges into Monterey Bay at the harbor mouth. When the tide floods, water flows from Moss Landing Harbor at least three-quarters of the way up the estuary. The Alisal Slough Watershed includes the Santa Rita Creek Watershed.

ARROYO SECO RIVER WATERSHED

The Arroyo Seco River Watershed includes approximately 273 square miles along the lower portion of the Sierra de Salinas Mountains to the east and the crest of the Santa Lucia Mountains to the west. The Arroyo Seco River is a major tributary to the Salinas River, and it is the last major watercourse to enter the Salinas River before it reaches the Pacific Ocean. The river flows north into the Salinas Valley parallel to Highway 101 before its confluence with the Salinas River. The Arroyo Seco River is located completely within Monterey County and is prone to flash flooding due to the steep and rocky upper watershed.

CARMEL RIVER WATERSHED

The Carmel River watershed begins 3,500 feet above sea level on the western slopes of the Sierra de Salinas mountain range and drains 255 square miles into the Carmel River. The Carmel River extends 25 miles through Carmel Valley into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary at Carmel Bay. Los Padres Dam is located in the upper watershed of the Carmel River.  

CENTRAL COASTAL WATERSHEDS

Coastal watersheds stretch down the Monterey County Coast and include the Big Sur River and Little Sur River watersheds. For areas impacted by coastal flooding processes, coastal flood hazard analyses have been performed to provide estimates of coastal flooding elevations which reflect the increase in water levels due to extreme tides, storm surge, and overland wave effects.      

ESTRELLA RIVER WATERSHED

The Estrella River Watershed is located within the southern portion of Monterey County, east of the Salinas River, and extends into the Northern portion of San Luis Obispo County. Most of the roughly 177,000-acre watershed is located within San Luis Obispo County. The Estrella River forms in the foothills of the Coast Range, at the confluence of San Juan Creek and Cholame Creek, and meets the Salinas River in northern San Luis Obispo County near San Miguel.

NACIMIENTO RIVER AND SAN ANTONIO RIVER WATERSHEDS (NACITONE)

The Nacitone Watershed is made up of the Nacimiento River Watershed and San Antonio River Watershed and covers approximately 705 square miles. The Nacitone Watershed extends east, southeast to the Salinas River in southern Monterey County and northern San Luis Obispo County. The majority of the San Antonio River Watershed is located within Monterey County, while approximately half of the Nacimiento River Watershed is located in both counties. The two watersheds run parallel to each other through the inland side of the Santa Lucia Mountains and flow into the Salinas River near Bradley.

PAJARO RIVER WATERSHED

The Pajaro River Watershed is located within four counties and drains approximately 1,300 square miles. It commences in San Benito and southern Santa Clara County, and the river eventually forms the boundary between Monterey and Santa Cruz County before it empties into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The river crosses the San Andreas Fault, with the upper watershed positioned on the North American Plate and lower on the Pacific Plate.

SALINAS RIVER WATERSHED

The Salinas River is the Central Coast’s largest river.  The Salinas River Watershed drains approximately 4,600 square miles of land and flows approximately 170 miles from the mountains of San Luis Obispo County northward to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The Salinas River has three major tributaries; the Arroyo Seco River, Nacimiento River, and San Antonio River. The Nacimiento and San Antonio Dams are also located on their respective tributaries in the upper Salinas River Watershed.   

PREPARE FOR WINTER STORMS. PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AND PROPERTY FROM FLOODING.

KNOW YOUR FLOOD RISK
The Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) is the area subject to a 1% chance of flooding in any given year and is delineated on a FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). FIRMs for the unincorporated areas of Monterey County may be viewed at the Monterey County Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Upon request, HCD will determine whether a specific parcel is located within a FEMA-defined 100-year floodplain. For more information regarding the flooding potential of a specific property, please contact the HCD Environmental Services Division at (831) 755-5025.

INSURE YOUR PROPERTY FOR YOUR FLOOD HAZARD
Within the 100-year floodplain, a home has a 26% chance of experiencing flooding during the life of a 30-year mortgage. Flooding is not covered by standard property insurance; however, federally subsidized flood insurance may be purchased from local property insurance agents. There is normally a 30-day waiting period before flood insurance goes into effect. The NFIP provides two types of insurance coverage: structural and contents. Structural coverage includes walls, floors, insulation, furnace, and other items permanently attached to the structure.  Monterey County residents receive up to a 25% discount on flood insurance premiums as a result of our community’s Class 5 rating in FEMA’s Community Rating System.

FLOOD WARNING
Monterey County’s ALERT (Automated Local Elevation in Real Time) system consists of automated rain and stream gages that transmit data during storms to County, State, and Federal offices. This data allows for the earliest possible flood warnings and river flow forecasts. Large floods, such as the 100-year flood, may reach flood stage quickly and only a short warning may be possible. The Emergency Notification System is a countywide system with the capability of targeting specific areas. To be a part of this program, register your cell phone number with ALERT Monterey County: www.alertmontereycounty.org

PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY
To protect your property from flood damage, measures such as retrofitting, grading, and/or correcting local drainage may be necessary. Such retrofitting techniques include: elevation of the home, relocating the home to higher ground, constructing floodwalls or berms, floodproofing, and protecting utilities. FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance grants may be available to help homeowners elevate or relocate above the SFHA. In emergency situations, sandbagging may be appropriate. Sandbags may be obtained at local fire stations, and sand is available to the public at various stockpile locations. For more information on stockpile locations please contact Monterey County’s Public Works Maintenance Office at (831) 755-4925 or visit: Sand Stockpile Locations

BUILD RESPONSIBLY
Regulations for floodplains in Monterey County are contained in Chapter 16.16 of the Monterey County Code. As defined in County Code, development means any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including but not limited to; buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavating, or drilling operations located within the SFHA.  There are more restrictive regulations for development within the FEMA-defined floodway.  Please contact the HCD Code Enforcement Division, at (831) 755-5025, to report unpermitted development in the floodplain.

NATURAL FLOODPLAIN FUNCTIONS
Floodplains are a natural component of the Monterey County environment. Understanding and protecting the natural and beneficial function of floodplains helps reduce flood damage and protects resources. When flooding spreads out across the floodplain, its energy is dissipated, which results in lower flow velocities downstream, reduced streambank and channel erosion, and improved groundwater recharge. Floodplains are scenic, valued wildlife habitat, and suitable for farming. Poorly planned development in floodplains can lead to streambank erosion, loss of valuable property, increased risk of flooding to downstream properties, and degradation of water quality.

Stream dumping is prohibited. Trash and vegetation dumped into a stream degrades water quality of the stream itself and receiving waters. Additionally, the County has adopted and enforces regulations that prohibit dumping of material into ditches, streams, or other drainageways. If you observe dumping of debris or other objects into any watercourse, please contact the Monterey County Environmental Health Division (831) 755-4505 and the HCD Code Enforcement Division at (831) 755-5025.

If you have any questions regarding flood protection assistance, flood data, flood prevention retrofitting techniques, financial assistance, runoff control, or other flooding and sewer problems, THE MONTEREY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, FACILITIES & PARKS IS HERE TO ASSIST YOU.  (831) 755-4800.

Additional storm preparedness information can be found at the Office of Emergency Services website.

https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/departments-a-h/administrative-office/office-of-emergency-services/ready-monterey-county/winter-storm