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Debris Basins Cleared Out Ahead Of Winter Rain Season

SYLMAR (CBSLA.com) — It may still feel like summer in Los Angeles, but city officials warned residents Monday it's time to start preparing for winter rains.

KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou reports Councilman Felipe Fuentes announced the city's wet weather preparedness plans in front of a cleaned-out debris basin in Sylmar.

Debris Basins Cleared Out Ahead Of Winter Rain Season

Sanitation and street maintenance crews have set up about 60 debris basins and 60,000 collection basins citywide ahead of the season's first heavy rain storms.

Fuentes, who represents the 7th District including Mission Hills, North Hills and Pacoima, said the public now can reduce risks by sweeping driveways - and not washing light or heavy debris into storm drains.

But Fuentes warned some portions of the San Fernando Valley may be more at risk of early flooding than others.

"The northeast San Fernando Valley, Council districts 12, 7 in particular, because we abut the Angeles National Forest, we do have a way of capturing more stormwater consequences," he said.

Residents were also being urged to shut off automatic sprinklers during heavy rainfall to avoid contributing to runoffs and possible flooding.

Heavy debris was blamed for a storm runoff that overloaded a drain Oct. 9 near the 5 Freeway in Sun Valley and sent water, mud and debris cascading into traffic and shutting down the freeway for several hours.

Anyone who spots mudflows in their neighborhood is asked to call 311.

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