Public and private efforts Important for storm resiliency

By Donna Durckel
COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

 County Public Works main­tains a vast network of public roads, as well as sewage pipes and pump stations and flood channels to keep things flow­ing for you year-round. Dur­ing storm events, we keep our channels and drains in the pub­lic right-of-way clear to mini­mize flooding.

Part of maintaining this right-of-way includes trimming trees and making sure veg­etation doesn’t obstruct views when pulling onto the road.

The County only maintains the infrastructure it owns. So how would you know if some­thing is on private or public property? You can check the list of County Maintained Roads

There also are many roads in San Diego County that are maintained by other agencies. Freeways and State Highways (SR 52, 76, 94, etc.) are main­tained by Caltrans. There are many private roads maintained by property owners, and oth­er public roads, such as those within incorporated cities, that are not in the County Main­tained System.

County efforts on public property improve community safety and help protect prop­erty in neighborhoods. They are also separate from what pri­vate property owners need to do to ensure they are prepared for heavy rains as El Niño ap­proaches.

Here are some examples of things that are the mainte­nance responsibility of property owners or renters.

You can check the County’s Survey Records System to de­termine if there are private or public drainage facilities on your property: https://srs.sandi­egocounty.gov.

Keep streams and other con­veyances that carry rainfall runoff through your property free of obstructions and debris such as trees, tall bushes, and trash. A plugged or obstructed drain cannot carry water and could cause flooding.

Never dump or throw any­thing into the streets or storm drainage system. To do so is a violation of the County’s Wa­tershed Protection Ordinance.

Check to ensure that pipe that drains at your curb in front of your house is clear of weeds, dirt or other obstruc­tions. Because this handles drainage from a private prop­erty, it is the responsibility of the homeowner.

County Flood Control pro­vides helpful resources for property owners, including in­formation on how to prevent flooding on your property, avail­able in 10 languages. Erosion can occur under many circum­stances, but it typically affects homeowners after events like rain. Here’s a helpful resource to prevent erosion. Visit Alert­SanDiego.org/ElNino for more information.

If you see something in the public right-of-way that needs attention? Let us know. If it is after hours or on holidays, you can report a concern at (858) 565-5262.

Courtesy San Diego County Office of Communications.