The months of September and October see the City Tree Crew pruning City trees in the downtown area in preparation for the windy, rainy season ahead. An inspection of the large trees is done so that the tree canopy can be thinned out, making the trees much less susceptible to damage from strong winds. Other trees around town are inspected and prioritized for removal or pruning as well. If the City Arborist finds trees in need of attention that are the responsibility of private property owners along any creeks, they are given notification of the need for such work, so it can be done before the tree falls and blocks a section of creek, causing flooding.

 During the month of October, a specialized vehicle called a Vactor truck is used to clean drainage inlets in the downtown. This equipment basically vacuums the inlet clean of debris built up during the dry season. The program focuses on the downtown because of the larger amounts of trash found in this area.  Additional inlet cleaning is performed on inlets identified  by staff. The inlets are cleaned before the first major rain of the season comes and washes all of the debris out, so that it does not end up polluting the creeks. During this time, the Streets Crew also inspects, clears and cleans all rock guards, pipe inlets, storm drains, and grates, especially along the perimeter of the City, where creeks come down out of the hills.

 As part of an ongoing maintenance program, the City has a drainage inlet replacement program, which each year replaces a certain number of small, outdated style storm water catch basins with drainage inlets to improve efficiency and drain the streets better. The project is usually completed during the early summer, and done before the streets in the neighborhood are paved. The City has a Storm Drain Master Plan that tells us which drainage pipes and inlets need replacement, and sets up a priority for Council to fund.

 Finally, the Public Works Department provides to the public, free of charge, fill material for sand bags at several locations throughout the City. Residents can bring their own sand bags for filling to the Corporation Yard at 25 Prado Road, the Laguna Lake Golf Course, Santa Rosa Park, and the Sinsheimer Park parking lot. The material is available as of November 1st, and sand bags can be purchased at most local home improvement stores. Information about sand bags is provided by Public Works via phone, 781-RAIN, as well as at this web site. For non-emergency times, we encourage residents to plan ahead by purchasing sandbags from local vendors, filling them at the City sites, and storing them at home for quick use during heavy storms.