Oceanside CA— The City of Oceanside is preparing for the potential El Niño storm season by clearing storm drains and vegetation from various locations, including the Loma Alta Creek and the San Luis Rey River. A City El Niño Operational Plan has been developed and City staff is continually working to be ready to respond to any major flooding incidents in the City.
The San Luis Rey Flood Control Project is a federal project of the Army Corps of Engineers and they will be mowing riverbed areas in November. As in any emergency, Police and Fire will work together in any major rain event to follow plans that have been put in place.
“There are a number of low-lying areas in the City that are prone to flooding,” according to Scott Smith, City Engineer. “Regardless of how much the City prepares, areas along the Loma Alta Creek and the San Luis Rey River valley may see flooding under storm conditions.”

Most regular home owners’ insurance do not cover flood damage. It is recommended that anyone living or having businesses in low lying areas get flood insurance. Flood Insurance is available to anyone in the City of Oceanside at a reduced cost because the City participates in the National Flood Insurance Program.
Before storms arrive is the time to check with your insurance agent to get flood coverage. There is generally a 30-day waiting period before coverage goes into effect. If you wait until after the storms, it may be too late, and any damage as a result of flooding may not be covered by your insurance. For more information on Flood Insurance, visit https://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/.
You may check the Flood Zone in your area by entering your address in FEMA’s Flood Hazard Map function: https://msc.fema.gov/portal.
San Diego County offers free sandbags for those living in unincorporated areas: http://www.countynewscenter.com/news/fall-rain-el-ni%C3%B1o-sandbags. The following link contains a list of sandbag vendors in Oceanside: https://www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=40965.
For further information on El Nino preparedness, please visit the City website at http://www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=1003&TargetID=1.