Local News

Cities Work To Clear Storm Drains

BEND, OR -- Over the weekend crews in cities and counties across Central Oregon began working to clear storm drains on major roads in anticipation of the threat of region-wide flooding. Anne Aurand, with the city of Bend, tells KBND News, "The street plows will be continually scraping more and more snow and slush and ice off the roads to open up those storm drains. Our Utilities Department is also working to clear block storm drains."


And, she says they're staging equipment in high risk areas. "The Utilities Department knows, based on history, sort of where the high-risk flooding areas are, so they’re focusing their efforts on those particular locations." She adds, "Some of them are like the underpasses or certain neighborhoods that are sort of in a basin or lower parts of runoff areas. The Utilities Department has mobile pumps and Vactor trucks ready to pump high water areas. And then, we’re also ready to create detours and street closures to manage flooded areas to keep cars out of those."

 

Bend's IT Department created an interactive map of drains and fire hydrants so residents can help in the effort. "This is a new tool for us, but it’s so important right now that people help this whole community preventing floods and fires. We really need folks to dig out their storm drains and fire hydrants. We also understand these things are buried in sometimes feet of snow." To access Bend's map, click HERE

 
The city of Redmond also released an online interactive map over the weekend. Click HERE to view Redmond's storm drain map. 

 

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