Ahead of this season’s forecasted El Niño event, the city of Ventura’s departments have coordinated a system of emergency actions and preparations to minimize any injury to people, property and the environment that the stormy season may bring.
El Niño occurs when changes in ocean temperatures and wind levels lead to volatile swings between heavy precipitation and drought. The result is extreme weather in sensitive coastal regions, causing above average rainfall and risk for flooding or debris flows.
“Given the unique nature of Ventura—we’ve got hillsides, the ocean, and rivers—we’re a little bit more susceptible to problems than our neighbors,” said Ventura Police Chief David Dickey.
Santa Barbara county can expect to see the most of the El Niño from November to January. But even before summer comes to an end, emergency preparations have begun.
The Emergency Operations Center
Ventura’s Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, is made up of over 100 staff members who work to tailor the city’s emergency response to specific incidents. Whenever a storm is forecasted to hit, the EOC’s standard practice is to operate at Level 1. This indicates a full, coordinated activation of all emergency support elements.
“Your city team is pulling together for what could be one of the wettest years on record,” said Emergency Services Manager Mac Douglas.
If the EOC is activated based on storm forecasts, the director of disaster services will provide directions to each section chief, who will then take appropriate action.
The EOC has started its preparations early ahead of this El Niño, which could be historically strong, according to Douglas. New dashboards and field reporting tools are in final development and initial deployment at the center. Police have already begun early outreach to residents of Ventura’s Westside, who are most susceptible to landslides, living by the city’s river bottoms.
Community Development & Housing
The community development sector ensures that members of the Ventura community are prepared ahead of emergencies. Their El Niño preparations involve safety inspections to homes and other buildings, and monitoring active construction sites to ensure they adhere to storm water pollution prevention requirements.
For unhoused individuals struggling during extreme cold or wet weather, the community development division works with River Community Church to provide temporary shelter. This is called the Foul Weather Shelter, and provides 40 motel rooms for overnight accommodation.
The Foul Weather Shelter is activated when forecasts indicate that temperatures may drop below 40 degrees, or call for half an inch or more of overnight rain. People 62 and older and people with chronic health conditions are prioritized when the shelter is running low on beds.
It will operate from December 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027.
Fire & Police Departments
The fire department plans to review, and if necessary, revise debris flow procedures, as well as give their firefighters refresher training on water rescues. According to Ventura Fire Chief Kris McDonald, his team will predict flooding conditions by monitoring river flora and rainfall totals, making adjustments as needed.
The police department will lead evacuation preparations and efforts if necessary, also working to ensure the flow of traffic in case of a mass evacuation. It is also working with the city’s Business Intelligence team to deploy an app to city-owned devices that will streamline situational assessment.
Dickey also said his police department is working with those of cities nearby Ventura to plan for potential aid.
“We have assurances from our neighboring cities to assist us if and when the emergencies arrive,” Dickey said.
Public Works, Parks and Rec, and Water Departments
The Public Works and Parks and Recreation departments are preparing by ensuring that debris and stormwater have safe outlets. The Parks Department is trimming trees and removing debris throughout the city. It’s also performing site inspections, securing portable stormwater pumps into below sea-level basins and performing street drain repairs.
Public Works installed an overside drain over the Barlow Barranca channel, a concrete-lined flood control drainage channel in Ventura. It is also monitoring bridges for high surf levels, protecting streets with sand bags and monitoring agricultural properties for drain blockages.
Ventura Water has already been prepping for two months. In Foster Park, Ventura Water has led a riverbank restoration project to divert stormwater flows back to the main channel. This was done by placing boulders along wells in the outer banks of the river.
Ventura Water also has vactor trucks ready for deployment, which use heavy-duty industrial vacuum systems to clean sewer lines and prevent infiltration of debris into important waterlines.
“If an El Niño hits, we have the essential staff on 27/4 standby,” said Richard Martin, assistant general manager for Ventura Water.
Back to the People
The city of Ventura directs residents to their preparedness webpage, “Ready for Rain.” This website is a hub for flooding resources and help lines. Residents can also register for alert systems here.
At an Aug. 25 Ventura City Council meeting where the preparations were presented, Councilmember Bill McReynolds said he’s going into this El Niño more confident than before.
“This is an incredible amount of preparation,” McReynolds said. “On behalf of the city council, this gives me a lot of confidence that we’re going to be able to weather this storm.”
