With additional resources funded by the voter-approved Kaweah Lake and Local Storm Water Maintenance fee, the City of Visalia’s storm preparedness efforts have been expanded in preparation of potential upcoming winter storms.
City crews conduct storm preparedness activities annually by checking materials, supplies, equipment, and storm facilities and systems in late summer and early fall. Maintenance of the storm drain system has been significantly increased over the last year due to the additional staff funded by the fee approved by voters in March 2013. Since then, the two storm maintenance crews have been successful in improving the capacity of the city’s storm system through additional maintenance.
Some of the activities conducted with the additional resources funded by the fee include:
- Significant basin maintenance at Shannon Parkway and Demaree, Visalia Parkway and Chinowth, Walnut and Roeben, Cameron and West, and Ferguson and Roeben.
- Significant creek system maintenance completed in Packwood Creek at Cameron (pictured above), Mill Creek at McAuliff, and Jennings Ditch east of Ben Maddox and south of Houston.
- Basin and creek maintenance included removal of 1,150 tons of vegetation and debris, and repair of creek sections to significantly increase capacity.
- Substantial increase in maintenance on storm piping system including annually removing 15 to 20 tons of grit and debris from the piping system.