Salinas declares a local state of emergency as a historic El Niño looms
The council's unanimous vote gives the city manager broader spending power and unlocks faster creek-clearing work, as NOAA puts the odds of a "very strong" El Niño at 90 percent.
The Salinas City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday, Sept. 29, to declare a local state of emergency as the city prepares for a potentially severe El Niño winter, a move officials framed as a planning tool rather than a sign of imminent danger.
Mayor Dennis Donohue announced the declaration at a press conference early Tuesday, joined by City Manager Rene Mendez and Fire Chief Sam Klemek, before the council approved it at its Tuesday meeting. "We are taking the threat of El Niño seriously, and we are acting now to protect our community," Donohue said.
"This is about preparedness, not panic," Donohue said, urging households to clear gutters and drains, check roofs for leaks, secure outdoor items, and assemble essentials such as flashlights, batteries, medications, food, and water.
The declaration gives the city legal authority to mobilize resources and streamline decision-making, and it is the first step toward accessing state and federal assistance if a crisis hits. Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a statewide emergency on Sept. 21 over the developing El Niño, and San Benito County has issued its own local declaration.
Fire Chief Sam Klemek told the council the declarations will let crews accelerate flood-prevention work, including clearing creeks and waterways that normally require permits and regulatory approvals. "The declarations give the city manager more latitude to expend funds and be more nimble to get the work done," Klemek said.
City crews are already conducting seasonal inspections of creeks, rivers, drainage systems, and storm infrastructure. Drones are being used to survey vegetation along the waterways, Klemek said, and city buildings and parks are being assessed for structural stability and hazardous trees.
Mendez said every city department is reviewing emergency plans and communication procedures, and that "preparedness requires coordination." Public works crews are surveying creeks, rivers, drainage systems, and other infrastructure, Mendez said. The city is also working with Monterey County, state and federal agencies, schools, hospitals, nonprofits, and community organizations.
Contingency plans cover essential services: the city has arranged to divert wastewater to Monterey One Water if flooding threatens its industrial wastewater treatment facility. The city's SORT Team is reaching out to unhoused residents to connect them with shelter, and outreach is underway with families and non-English speakers, including speakers of Indigenous languages.
Officials said the flood-prone Bolsa Knolls area sits in county jurisdiction, but the city will assist through mutual aid, including evacuations and protection of life and property if needed. City facilities are being prepared as potential evacuation points and regional shelters.
The urgency traces to the forecast. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration puts the chance of a "very strong" El Niño this fall and winter at 90 percent, and forecasters say it could be stronger than any El Niño since 1950. Officials said lessons from the atmospheric river storms of winter 2022-23 shaped the city's coordinated preparedness plan.
"We cannot control the weather, but we can control how we are prepared for it," Donohue said. "Our responsibility is not simply to respond to an emergency. Our responsibility is to anticipate it, and that's why we're taking these steps now."
The city plans a community preparedness event in mid-October to give residents more information and resources.
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