ELK GROVE, Calif. — On Monday afternoon, David Edwards stopped by Sheldon Ace Hardware in Elk Grove, using the day to prepare for coming rain.
“I live near Laguna Creek, [which] usually floods,” said Edwards, who lives in the Vineyard area of Sacramento County.
“Now I'm just going to blow leaves and get everything cleaned up and make sure my gutters are clean and just prepare for the worst, even though it may not be that bad,” he said. “But we've been there for 50 years, and I've seen the worst of the worst.”
He recalls years like 2017, 1997 and 1985, where the broader area saw heavy flooding.
“Just watch the weather. Be prepared. Don't wait to the last minute,” said Sheldon Ace Hardware manager Sean McAlister.
A lot of people in the Sheldon and Wilton areas are used to occasional flooding and already have supplies on-hand to prepare, he added.
“There are large properties out here, so a lot of them already have like piles of dirt or piles of sand,” he said.
The City of Elk Grove sometimes has a sandbag-filling station ahead of big storms, but a city spokesperson told ABC10 there are currently no plans to open that station.
"Residents concerned with flooding around their property in advance of the storm are advised to purchase supplies at any local home improvement stores,” spokesperson Kristyn Laurence said. “Now is also the time to clean out gutters and ensure there are no leaves clogging neighborhood storm drains."
ABC10 also reached out to Amador, Placer and Nevada counties, all of which are offering sandbag locations.
Amador County Office of Emergency Services Coordinator Sgt. Jeff Bellotti said, "Amador County will have a self-serve sandbag location at our county airport located at 12380 Airport Road in Sutter Creek."
Nevada County‘s website says, "Residents must bring a strong back and their own shovel to fill the sandbags with sand. We do ask that residents only take what they plan to use for the protection of their personal property."
Placer County spokesperson Chris Gray-Garcia said, “We encourage residents to first turn to the commercial establishments; the local city and county-provided sites are intended as an option of last resort."
As for flooding, Gray-Garcia added, “work to help clear drainages to reduce the likelihood of flooding is largely completed in the fall; this year, the California Conservation Corps maintained about 1.75 miles along the more flood-prone reaches of watershed, so we've been in good shape going into winter storms."
Placer County residents can find sandbag information HERE.
People living in Nevada County can find sandbag information HERE.
