Alice Sarkisian Wessen

Altadena Wants a Food Co-op! Meeting Fri Oct 23 at Coffee Gallery in Altadena

-------- WORKING MEETING - FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 7:30 P.M. ---------------------

Please join us at our next Founding Team working meeting on Friday, October
23, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. in the conference room at the Coffee Gallery (2029
Lake Avenue). This week's agenda will be available by Friday.

You can view our past meeting agendas at www.altadenawantsacoop.com/agendas
http://www.altadenawantsacoop.com/agendas.
Notes from our past meetings can be viewed at
www.altadenawantsacoop.com/notes http://www.altadenawantsacoop.com/notes.

Hope to see you Friday!!

p.s. – If Friday evening meetings are not for you, you can still get
involved!! We will be forming new teams/committees soon! More information
will be available in the next few weeks about volunteer opportunities - stay
tuned!

What can we expect this winter? (Mudslides?)

The entirety of this outstanding blog may be found here: http://inthewatershed.org/2009/10/07/what-can-we-expect-this-winter/

Before the spring wildflowers, our foothill communities may be suffering from mudflows this winter. The USGS just released its assessment based on two scenarios, a gentle, sustained 12-hour rain and a hard 3-hr rain storm. In both of the scenarios, the USGS predicts that Pacoima Canyon, Big Tujunga Canyon, the Arroyo Seco, the West Fork of the San Gabriel River and Devils Canyon would have an 80% risk of mudflows. This risk includes the basins that are tributaries to each of these canyons, too. Our geomorphology works against us here. To quote the USGS report: “The high probabilities from basins burned by the Station fire reflects the combined effects of the steep slopes throughout the area and extensive areas burned at high and moderate severities.” To my surprise, a gentle soaking rain could actually generate more of a hazard than the short duration hard rain, and it looks like the communities of La Crescenta and La Canada Flintridge will suffer the most, potentially. The USGS report suggests that Altadena will be spared mudflow hazards because the major drainages that burned, El Prieto and Millard, drain into the Devil’s Gate Reservoir. Remember, these are the results of modeling and real life experiences will be different. The 28-page report is available on the USGS website. You can also listen to an interview by KPCC’s Larry Mantle with Lucy Jones.

This is the bad news. The good news is that we have this information in advance of the winter rains so people can plan. For an unfortunate few, their homes are reported to be at so much risk they’ve been advised to install plywood on the windows and get out when it rains, according to the article in the Los Angeles Times. The County Flood Control District and Department of Public Works staff are working overtime to reduce the hazards by cleaning out all of the 28 debris basins, including expanding some of them. They have been holding frequent meetings for emergency response personnel in the foothills to plan and coordinate. And they have been meeting with communities and individuals to assess risks and draw up plans for protection. You can learn more at the County’s website.

Information on the Station Fire BAER: Watershed Rapid Assessment and Response

For information on the Station Fire BAER: Watershed Rapid Assessment and Response go to:

http://www.inciweb.org/incident/announcements/article/1856/9555/

BAER -The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program is a rapid assessment of burned watersheds by BAER teams to identify unacceptable post-fire threats and implement emergency treatments to reduce unacceptable risks before the first major storm or
damaging event. The fire results in a loss of vegetation, exposure of the soil to erosion and increased water runoff that may lead to flooding and increased sediment and debris flows. BAER treatments such as the installation of erosion and runoff water control devices; temporary barriers to protect recovering areas; warning signs; and drainage features for increased flow may be implemented. BAER work may also replace safety related facilities; remove safety hazards; prevent permanent loss of habitat for threatened and endangered species; and prevent the spread of noxious weeds.

Below you will find more pertinent flood information:

Coordinated Agency Recovery Effort (CARE): www.dpwcare.org

LACo Department of Public Works http://dpw.lacounty.gov/wrd/fire/

For Frequently Asked Questions on Post-Fire Flooding and Debris Flows and Protective Measures: http://dpw.lacounty.gov/wrd/fire/display.cfm?product=file/faq.htm

For the DWP Homeowner’s guide for Flood, Debris and Erosion Control go to: http://dpw.lacounty.gov/wmd/HomeOwners/index.cfm.

The DWP provides advice to homeowners on the management of Flood, Debris and Erosion Control. You can contact them and have them speak at you next FSC meeting.

Public Works Headquarters

Address:
900 S. Fremont Ave.
Alhambra , CA 91803
(626) 458-5100

Best regards,

J. Lopez, Deputy Forester

County of Los Angeles Fire Department Forestry Division

Fire Plan and Forestry Technical Operations Units

12605 Osborne Street

Pacoima , CA 91331-1220

(818) 890-5783 Phone

(818) 897-9065 Fax

jlopez@fire.lacounty.gov

www.fire.lacounty.gov