Crews Work To Prevent Fire Run-Off From Entering Lake Berryessa

NAPA COUNTY, CA — Three California Conservation Corps crews are working seven days a week to help Napa County protect Lake Berryessa from potential run-off from homes and other structures burned in the LNU Lightning Complex Hennessey Fire.

There was significant fire damage to the communities of Spanish Flat and Berryessa Highlands, both of which are within watersheds that drain into Lake Berryessa.

In addition to being a recreational treasure for countless generations and important ecological habitat, Lake Berryessa is a reservoir that supplies over 400,000 people in Solano and Napa counties with drinking water.

The CCC crews are expected to complete their work by Nov. 22. The job entails putting in more than 25,000 linear feet of straw wattles, which will filter contaminated ash and debris running off properties, before the first winter storms arrive later this month.

“We’re incredibly fortunate to have these crews here in Napa County to protect our watersheds and our drinking water,” said Jamison Crosby, storm water program manager with Napa County. “The California Conservation Corps mobilized quickly and they are doing a fantastic job.”

Local, state and federal agencies agree it is critical to keep toxic elements carried in ash and structural debris out of this watershed, Napa County Spokeswoman Janet Upton said Wednesday in a news release.

Through the Watershed Emergency Response Taskforce — WERT — Napa County works with experts from a number of state and federal agencies to identify priority risk areas and analyze watershed impacts. The County continues to identify and implement appropriate mitigation measures, Upton said.

As for the Napa River, county officials said assessments of the Glass Fire burn scar are ongoing and additional resources will be mobilized, as needed, ahead of this winter’s storms to protect the river from fire damage runoff.

“Our County advocated for these kinds of emergency protective measures to take place while the fires were still burning, and we’re so grateful to our partners for providing this support and funding the costs through state and federal disaster assistance programs,” said Napa County Emergency Services Officer Leah Greenbaum.

County officials said property owners who are concerned or have questions regarding potential hazards resulting from the recent wildfires can call the County’s Watershed Hazards/Fire Recovery hotline at 707-299-1350. Information is also available on the County’s watershed recovery webpage.