Avoiding Flood Water Danger in San Joaquin Valley

Flood conditions throughout the San Joaquin Valley have been severe this first half of the year. This underscores the importance of avoiding dangerous flood waters this summer in Kern County. Alarm company customers of Secure Systems can take these steps to protect themselves and their loved ones from the dangers of flooding in the region.

Educate yourself on the conditions.

According to experts, this year’s San Joaquin Valley floods are not a new occurrence. “Everybody wants to call this event ‘unprecedented,’ but it’s not,” says Lois Henry of SJV Water. “These kinds of floods happen every decade or so.” Current flooding conditions are, in part, the result of a springtime melting of a massive Sierra mountains snowpack. In addition, much of the Central Valley is a bonafide natural floodplain. To help residents know the current flood risk from week to week, the Kern County Office of Emergency Services released these detailed, locally built flood maps for Kern County that pose various flow scenarios for communities throughout the county.

Pay attention to alerts from authorities.

Kern County has developed ReadyKern, a state-of-the-art emergency notification system that alerts residents and businesses about flooding and other disasters: earthquakes, severe weather, fires, or evacuation of buildings or neighborhoods. The county answers a variety of questions on the ReadyKern system here. It’s easy to sign up for ReadyKern, and the system contacts anyone who registers for the service (no matter the area code or type of phone line).

If you opt in to receive these emergency notifications, it’s important to take seriously any alerts you receive regarding flood dangers or other environmental hazards.

Avoid recreating in dangerous water.

The California Department of Water Resources estimates that by mid-June, both the Kern River and Lake Isabella will be flowing at 9,000 cubic feet per second (CFS). According to the state Department of Parks & Recreation, water flowing above 3,000 CFS is unsafe for swimming, rafting and other recreation. Every year, people drown in the Kern River; the Kern County Sheriff’s Office reports that eight lives were lost in 2022. While it’s true that the river was popular for white water rafting in the past (and has even served as an Olympic training site), it is simply no longer safe for these types of activities. The fast-flowing water may look calm, but it can engulf a person in seconds. This is a critical warning for those interested in local water recreation this summer.

These tips can help you and your loved ones avoid the dangers of flood water in San Joaquin Valley, including Kern County. Alarm company customers of Secure Systems can be safer by following this guidance during flooding conditions. If you are interested in additional home and business security information, contact Secure Systems today.

About Secure Systems

Secure Systems is a Bakersfield alarm company that installs alarms for homes and businesses. We also install residential camera systems and business camera systems, commercial and residential fire alarm systems, wireless monitoring, remote access alarm systems, access control and door buzzers in Bakersfield and Kern County. Call us today at (661) 220-5354.