The number one cause of street flooding? Leaves!
Yes, leaves ending up in the gutter and storm drain inlets is the most frequent cause of flooding in American Canyon – and you can help keep the rain flowing on your own street. How?
Don’t blow, rake or pile your own leaves in the gutter. Sometimes neighbors don’t see the harm in blowing leaves into the gutter or across the street. Resist the temptation! Blowing leaves into any gutter will cause flooding!
The street sweepers you see coming by your home can’t pick up big piles of leaves. Recology American Canyon provides Yard Waste Bins so you can conveniently dispose of leaves as you rake, and then they are composted to make new soil - No Waste!
A less obvious problem with putting leaves in the gutters shows up as the leaves make their way to the Napa River. Storm-water, unlike the water leaving your house through the drains in the sink, toilets and tubs isn’t treated before it makes its way to the River. When leaves get into the River, they change the water temperature and absorb oxygen as they breakdown, stressing our wildlife’s ability to survive – and wet leaves make great breeding grounds for those pesky mosquitoes.
You may see our Public Works Crews out on the streets preparing for the wet season storms on the not-to-distant horizon, working with big equipment that vacuums out the storm drain inlets. But for neighborhoods with a lot of leaf fall and where neighbors put leaves in the gutters, you’re likely to see them out in the rain with rakes and shovels and Road Closed signs because the leaves clog the drains repeatedly and cause walkway and driving hazards. Don’t let your street be one of those flooded zones!
Disposing of leaves in the gutters and storm drain inlets is a violation of American Canyon’s Municipal Code 14.28 (Storm-water and Pollution Discharge Control Program).
You Can Help Prevent Flooding on Your Street – Use Your Yard Waste Bin!
