Amid a two-year drought, some people might be yearning for a heavy rain.
And when high water strikes again, California will be ready with a new color-coded alert system.
Borrowing a bit from federal security agencies, the state Department of Water Resources recently unveiled a "flood conditions" warning system to inform the public of the state's level of mobilization to combat flooding.
When there are no significant concerns, like today during a typically hot and dry August, the alert level is Floodcon 1 – no significant events. From there it steps up to Floodcon 5, which means land is likely going underwater in multiple locations and multiple emergency teams are deployed.
"It's kind of a way for other agencies and the public to see where we're at as far as our readiness," said Sean Mann, chief of DWR's flood operations center.
The system is modeled after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's color-coded national security warning system, said Mann. Color codes illustrate the gravity of the threat, ranging from green (take a nap) to red (run and hide.)
The federal system, however, has been ridiculed for providing little specific useful information to the public about actual dangers that may exist.
It's unclear yet if Floodcon will do any better.
Mann said Floodcon is designed only to indicate DWR's state of response.
The day's Floodcon color is maintained and described on the Internet at www.water.ca.gov/floodmgmt/.
During flood season, from Oct. 15 to April 15, DWR's color will always be no lower than blue – Floodcon 2 – and will turn rosier shades of peril with the weather and flooding events.
"Since it's on the Web site, the public, if they're interested, can get a view of what we're doing based on the Floodcon status," Mann said. "In a significant weather event, they obviously want to be in a higher state of awareness and take precautions."
The Web site does not provide links to specific flooding problems or weather events related to the color status.
It also does not apply unique Floodcon ratings to different areas. The reader might reside in an area immune to flooding, but see that the state's color code says Floodcon status is grave, because it only describes DWR's response level.
"Most people will already understand that during times of heavy rain, the risks of flooding are greater," said Jonas Minton former deputy director of flood management at DWR. "What is missing is better information for residents on the flood risk for their areas."
Minton, a committee member of Citizens for Flood Safety, which supported a property tax increase for levee improvements in Sacramento last year, said the color ratings also could lure the public into a false sense of security.
If DWR displays a safe green Floodcon color in June, he said, it might discourage an uninformed citizen from buying flood insurance or supporting a ballot measure for flood protection that happens to be up for a vote that month.
Mann emphasized the system has just been unveiled. He said localized alerts or links to more online information about specific local flooding or weather events could be added in the future if there is enough interest.
Call The Bee's Matt Weiser, (916) 321a1264.
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