Concerned about possible winter flooding, the Board of
Supervisors has ordered the County Public Works Department to store
tons of rock in preparation for winter storms.
”
We’ve already started moving it,
”
Public Works Director Doug Koenig said.
Concerned about possible winter flooding, the Board of Supervisors has ordered the County Public Works Department to store tons of rock in preparation for winter storms.
“We’ve already started moving it,” Public Works Director Doug Koenig said.
Motorists traveling at the southern end of Fairview Road should be wary of the dump trucks making their way back and forth on the busy roadway as they haul large amounts of rock to strategic points around the county.
Most of the rock is material uncovered at the John Smith Road Landfill as workers move soil around to cover up processed solid waste materials at the county dump, Integrated Waste Management Director Mandy Rose said.
She said her department is notifying public works that there has been a sufficient amount of rock uncovered to consider having the boulders of varying sizes removed, just as the Board asked her.
“The Board gave direction for the county to store rock during the 1998 floods, we had a great need for that rock,” Supervisor Richard Scagliotti said.
Several supervisors said during 1998, when the county received the highest recorded annual rainfall in 100 years, they had to rush out and buy loads of rock to reinforce overflowing creeks and riverbanks.
“You mark my word, we’re going to have a rainy, rainy winter,” Supervisor Ruth Kesler said. “And if it rains 10 days in a row like it has in the past, we are going to need that rock and it would be foolish of us to sell it or give it away.”
At an average price of about $22 per cubic yard, trying to buy several tons of rock in an emergency would be very costly.
However, Koenig said that will not be necessary if the Board’s plan is carried out.
“We’ve got some areas to store it, but it is a continuous process,” Koenig said.
