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C. 6

To:	Contra Costa County Flood Control District Board of Supervisors
From:	Brian M. Balbas, Public Works Director/Chief Engineer
Date:	September 22, 2020

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Creek and Channel Safety Awareness Month and its Associated Program, Countywide. Project No. 7520-6B8311

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 09/22/2020

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:	Michelle Cordis, (925) 313-2381
cc:	Allison Knapp, Deputy Chief Engineer Carrie Ricci, Deputy Public Works Director Kelly Kalfsbeek, Administrative Services Tim Jensen, Flood Control Michelle Cordis, Flood Control Patrick Melgar, Flood Control Catherine Windham, Flood Control

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: September 22, 2020
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ADOPT Resolution No. 2020/247 declaring October 2020 as Creek and Channel Safety Awareness Month; and,


ACCEPT the following status report from the Public Works Department and the Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (FC District) on the Creek and Channel Safety Awareness Program (CCSAP); and,

RECOMMENDATION(S): (CONT'D)

DIRECT the Public Works Department and the FC District to continue with implementation and the annual campaign of a Countywide sustainable CCSAP, including a follow-up report to this Board in one year.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Annual notices, outreach, and maintenance of safety features for this year is estimated to cost $70,000 and will be funded by Flood Control Zone 3B.

BACKGROUND:

On March 1, 2011, the Board of Supervisors directed the FC District to develop a sustainable and impactful outreach program to promote creek and channel safety throughout the County, after the drowning of two high school students in the Walnut Creek channel. In response, the FC District formed a CCSAP team that developed a strategy to achieve this goal.

On October 4, 2011, the Board declared October 2011 as the first Creek and Channel Safety Awareness Month, accepted the status report from the FC District on the CCSAP, approved the implementation plan, and directed the FC District to continue with implementation and initiation of an annual campaign of a sustainable CCSAP, including a follow-up report to the Board in one year.

Since then, the Board of Supervisors received and approved a status report on the Annual CCSAP and declared October as Creek and Channel Safety Awareness Month in the years 2012 through 2019. The Board of Supervisors also directed the FC District to continue with implementation and the annual campaign of a Countywide sustainable CCSAP, including a follow-up report to the Board in one year.

This past year, we refreshed the warning stencils and signs in our facilities, completed the annual outreach to schools in September, and worked with Walnut Creek Intermediate School to put on our fifth annual Creek and Channel Safety Event. The annual event involved working with the leadership class to help develop and implement events for students that would raise student awareness of the “Stay Out, Stay Alive!” campaign. The highly successful program engaged hundreds of students in such activities as a poster competition, sharing of watershed information, distribution of “Stay Out, Stay Alive!” bracelets, and equipment showcased from Contra Costa Fire Protection District’s Swiftwater Rescue personnel. As in the past, several student posters were laminated and placed in prominent locations in downtown Walnut Creek to communicate their safety message through the winter. The FC District also had an information table at Las Lomas High School’s Wellness Fair and continued to share creek and safety information in April. This past summer, we also secured fences and added student posters to locations along flood control facilities in Danville and Lafayette, in coordination with those Cities in response to people entering the channels to cool off during the hot weather.

The Chief Engineer, FC District, recommends that the Board declare October 2020 as Creek and Channel Safety Awareness Month, accept the above report, and direct the Public Works Department and FC District to continue with implementation and the annual campaign of a Countywide sustainable CCSAP, including a follow-up report to this Board in one year.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If this Resolution is not adopted, members of the public may not receive important information about creek and channel safety.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

The FC District will continue to work with the schools and youth-based groups within the County to educate children about safety regarding creeks and flood control channels.