October 20, 2026 - SACRAMENTO, Calif. – As California marks the start of Flood Preparedness Week, a record-setting El Niño is raising the odds of a wetter-than-average winter and heightened flood risk statewide. With major storms possible in the months ahead, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is calling on all Californians to take simple steps now to prepare for flooding emergencies.

“Now is the time to prepare for emergencies, and the strong El Niño conditions anticipated this winter make preparation more important than ever,” said DWR Director Tom Gibson. “While DWR and our partners are taking proactive steps to prepare for extreme weather, true preparedness begins at home. Taking just a few steps today can protect your family during severe storms.”

Statewide Flood System Preparations Underway

Every fall, DWR and partner agencies ready California's flood control system for high water by inspecting all 1,600 miles of levees in the State Plan of Flood Control, and ensuring that the complex system of bypasses, weirs, canals and levees are functioning as designed to reduce flood risk and protect communities.

Building on this work, California is preparing now for the winter season. DWR’s flood operations staff are coordinating closely with local partners in cities and counties across the state, conducting 13 regional workshops, and pre-positioned flood-fighting materials at 68 locations. These materials include 4.4 million sandbags and 400,000 tons of rock for potential emergency levee repairs.

“Preparing for floods requires coordination long before the first major storm arrives,” said Laura Hollender, deputy director of Flood Management and Dam Safety. “Our teams are inspecting infrastructure, coordinating with local flood management agencies, and positioning emergency supplies throughout the state so we can respond quickly when conditions change. We want Californians to take that same proactive approach to protecting their families and homes.”

Understanding the Risk This Winter

El Niño is a natural climate pattern marked by warmer-than-average ocean temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific, which can shift weather patterns and bring wetter, more intense winters to California. While it does not guarantee where or when extreme weather will strike, it increases the need for statewide readiness.

In anticipation of these risks, Governor Gavin Newsom has proclaimed a state of emergency before winter weather intensifies. It directs state agencies to protect vulnerable communities, prepare roads and critical infrastructure, stage emergency supplies, and help local partners reduce flood, landslide, and coastal hazards.

Are You Flood Ready?

Over seven million Californians live in areas at risk of flooding, yet many don’t realize it. Flooding can occur anywhere in the state - rural or urban areas, valley and desert communities, mountain regions and along the coast. Every California county has received a flood-related emergency declaration in the past 20 years. Flooding can also happen at any time of year and can even occur during droughts.

Communities near recent wildfire burn scars are especially prone to flash floods and debris slides, with landscapes taking up to five years to recover following a wildfire. To prepare for flooding, all Californians should follow three basic steps:  

• Be aware of your risk – know whether your home is downslope of a burn area or in a floodplain; pay attention to weather forecasts; listen to local authorities.
• Be prepared – always have an emergency evacuation kit ready; be prepared to evacuate early; have a plan for where you will go in an emergency and what to do with your pets.
• Take action – subscribe to your local emergency providers to get updated information. Visit the National Weather Service webpage to get updated weather information for your community. If local authorities issue an evacuation order, do not delay, follow local guidelines for evacuation and never attempt to drive through a flooded roadway.

For information on how you can prepare your household for flood emergencies, visit https://www.ready.gov/kit.

For more information on finding your flood risk, visit https://myhazards.caloes.ca.gov/.

For information on obtaining flood insurance, visit https://www.floodsmart.gov/.

Source: CA. DWR