Valley Water declares El Niño emergency in Santa Clara County

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, (KGO) -- Valley Water has declared an El Niño emergency in Santa Clara County, a move the agency says will help accelerate preparations for potential winter storms and flooding.

The declaration follows Gov. Gavin Newsom's statewide emergency proclamation related to the developing El Niño weather pattern and gives Valley Water additional authority to quickly secure the services needed for storm response.

"What this will allow us to do is to make sure we can have the equipment, the materials, the people that we need to address any type of situation around the storms this winter," Valley Water spokesperson Matt Keller said.

Keller said the agency is already preparing resources for residents and emergency operations.

"We just delivered 24,000 sandbags to our five locations," Keller said.

Valley Water is providing free sandbags to residents.

"In case they feel like they need them to protect their homes and doorways and garages as water rises up," Keller said.

MORE: 10 foot tides possible this El Niño season along San Mateo Co. coast, prompts emergency declaration

At one of Valley Water's free sandbag stations, some residents were preparing for rain expected Wednesday rather than waiting for impacts from El Niño.

Among them was longtime Santa Clara County resident Hafez Modirzadeh.

"Sometimes water sits in front of our garage door," Modirzadeh said.

For this week, he said he planned to use about a dozen sandbags in front of his garage.

"Sandbags do the trick," he said. "I know where I live, and I know the potential for this sort of thing."

While residents prepare for upcoming rain, Valley Water is looking further ahead.

The declaration could help the agency quickly obtain tractors or excavators to clear debris that could contribute to flooding.

MORE: SJ getting 'storm ready' ahead of potentially record-breaking El Niño winter

It also allows Valley Water to seek alternative suppliers if current sandbag vendors run short on materials.

"This will allow us to work with other vendors and get that material here as soon as possible," Keller said.

According to Valley Water, the agency has been clearing creeks throughout Santa Clara County since June as part of efforts to reduce flooding risks before winter.

"Over the summer, we had about 150 projects here in Santa Clara County. We call it our stream maintenance program," Keller said.

Valley Water officials said public preparedness is also critical as winter approaches.

"We ask people just to know their risk, know about the possibilities of what's going to come this winter and be prepared," Keller said.

The agency is encouraging residents to review flood preparedness plans, monitor weather updates and take advantage of available resources, including free sandbag distribution stations.