Town of Yountville
Staff Report
6550 Yount Street
Yountville, CA 94599
Agenda Item #: 10A
Yountville Town Council Staff Report
DATE: October 6, 2026
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: John Ferons, Public Works Director
PREPARED BY: John Ferons, Public Works Director
RECOMMENDATION
Town emergency operations planning for Super El Niño storm readiness.
DISCUSSION/BACKGROUND
The Town of Yountville Public Works Department is preparing storm drain, roadway drainage, and related first response systems ahead of a predicted Super El Niño season. Emergency preparedness readiness emphasizes the importance of preparation of infrastructure, staff, equipment and logistics along with emergency operations planning and coordination with regional partners. This staff report combines Yountville-specific Public Works actions focused on hydraulic capacity, flood mitigation, staff readiness, and interagency coordination for those regional preparedness concepts.
Staff will continue pre-season inspection, debris removal, equipment staging, forecast monitoring, and coordination with emergency management and regional response partners. Any costs associated with routine storm preparation are expected to be absorbed within existing operating budgets.
Background:
For Yountville, a predicted Super El Niño season requires focused attention on the Town’s storm drain system, Hopper Creek drainage areas, roadway drainage patterns, public facilities, equipment readiness, staffing logistics, and public communication. Heavy rainfall, atmospheric river events, saturated soils, wind, debris movement, and localized drainage blockages can combine to create short-notice flooding impacts. Preparing in advance allows Public Works staff to maximize system capacity, stage equipment, coordinate with emergency partners, and respond more quickly when storms arrive.
Discussion:
Regional Emergency Operations preparedness identifies several key regional emergency management themes that are relevant to Yountville: coordinated emergency operations planning, alignment between local and county response plans, clearly defined government roles during emergencies, public alert and warning systems, community preparedness initiatives, and exercises that bring together Public Works agencies, first responders, utilities, and operational area partners.
Yountville staff will continue coordinating with regional partners as appropriate, including Napa County emergency management and flood control partners, public safety agencies, utility representatives, and mutual aid resources. Those relationships are especially important when forecast conditions may require pre-storm resource staging, public communications, traffic control, emergency operations center coordination, road closure support, or post-storm debris clearance.
Town of Yountville Public Works Readiness Actions:
• System inspection: Inspect inlets, catch basins, grates, culverts, pipes, headwalls, and junction boxes; document deficiencies and prioritize known high-risk areas. • Debris and sediment removal: Clear sediment, leaves, organics, trash, vegetation, curb openings, valley gutters, and drainage paths to restore hydraulic capacity. • Critical line maintenance: Flush or jet slow-flow or chronic clog locations and confirm downstream discharge points are unobstructed.
• Hopper Creek and outfalls: Inspect and clear storm drain outfalls along Hopper Creek, verify flap gates where present, and check for erosion or bank instability. • Pump stations and backup power: Test pumps, inspect wet wells, verify generator fuel, and load testing, and stage portable pumps at known vulnerable locations. • Temporary flood mitigation: Prepare sandbags, water-filled barriers where appropriate, temporary trash racks, and road closure signs for rapid deployment.
• Stormwater compliance: Inspect municipal facilities and construction sites for best management practices, spill response readiness, and illicit discharge response protocols. • Staffing and logistics: Fuel and inspect fleet vehicles, stock PPE and weather gear, stage cones, and barricades, and prepare staffing rotations and communications protocols. • Forecast monitoring: Track NOAA, National Weather Service, and local watershed forecasts; activate pre-storm inspection routes when thresholds indicate elevated risk.
Public Information and Community Preparedness:
Consistent with any disaster preparedness, residents and businesses should be encouraged to maintain emergency plans, refresh emergency supply kits, clear private gutters and drains, trim vegetation where appropriate, and monitor official Town and County communication channels during storm events. Public Works readiness will be paired with clear public messaging, so community members understand how to reduce localized impacts before storms arrive.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Exempt per California Environmental Act (CEQA) Guideline, Section 15061(b)(3) as an activity that has no potential for causing a significant effect on the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
Is there a Fiscal Impact? No
Is it Currently Budgeted? N/A
Where is it Budgeted? N/A
Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? Discretionary
Is there a Staff Resource Impact? Nominal