Riverside County to declare local emergency from storm damage
The Board of Supervisors is slated to declare a state of emergency in Riverside County Tuesday, following an estimated $4.4 million in storm damage to the region.
The board's authorization of the declaration will enable the county to apply for state and federal relief funds.
According to the county's Emergency Management Department, the storm series that started in mid-February and continued almost weekly until the end of March caused an estimated $4.4 million in damage to county facilities, farms, tribal land, special districts, and school districts, officials said.
Among the worst impacts was a breach of the levee along the San Jacinto River, according to the EMD.
The hole that developed allowed water to flood farmlands, the county Flood Control & Water Conservation District said. The agency said that the breach has since been sealed, but it's requiring constant attention to fortify, with fears that additional storms could compromise the levee again.
"Winter storms have brought unforeseen and unprecedented snow and rainfall within multiple jurisdictions in the county that caused damage to transportation, water conveyance systems and critical infrastructure, delivering an imminent threat to life, property and the environment," according to the proposed resolution.
Roads in cities and unincorporated communities countywide have been washed out and flooded, prompting closures on numerous occasions. However, most of those corridors have been repaired and are open.
In the San Bernardino National Forest, more than 50 dirt roads leading to camping, hiking, hunting, and other recreational sites were declared off-limits last month because of snow packs and other winter hazards.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed emergency declarations five times over the last month, covering 43 counties. According to the governor's office, $60 million has already been spent on direct aid and response commitments.
Once the board ratifies the local emergency proclamation, Riverside County will be included on the list of eligible recipients for future aid.