Maps for Evac Route

[Pearl]

I found info to help me plan evac routes out of my city. You may be able to find similar files online if you Google your county or city disaster plan.

As much as I like living here, I realize there are a couple of reasons why I would flee my house and head for the hills. One of them is flooding, which has been a big risk this year with all the rains.

I finally found my city's disaster mitigation plan and all kinds of maps online. Here's one that shows expected depths of flooding, based on various levee breaks in just one neighborhood:

http://www.msa.saccounty.net/waterresources/floodready/maps/rescue_evac_break17.pdf

I haven't looked at all the disaster mitigation plan yet as it is huge with multiple files, but just the engineering files are cool! Turns out, if I have to flee from a flood, the best route for me is south along the river, not east away from the river. Go figure.

Pearl

 

[Chronicles]

If it is a flood event, you had better seek high ground as you evac..., along the sheeple route..

 

[Phil Ca]

Peral, if you belong to AAA you can get alot of free maps that you can carry in your car and BOB. The detailed flood maps are good to have but the standatd road maps are what will get you through.

Another good map is the California Road and Recreation Atlas by Benchmark Maps. The one I have is the 1998 edition and cost 414.00. i need to updtae it with a newer one. The book I have has Landscape Maps, recreation Guides, detailed roads and GPS Grids.

The govornor is a tad upset with FEMA and the whole FED MESS since they do not conside the levees system here in the PRK worth looking into or spending money on. If you live downstream of any dams it would be good to know what may happen if th dam is breached. Even the spring runoff and extra water being loosed from the dams and resevoirs will cause some problems. There is a photo in yesterdays Mod Beee showing the dam near Fresno dumping water over th spillway to lessen pressure on the dam. The rivers will be running full and swift for awhile.

Don't forget to have a decent compass and also a simple compass that you can carry on a key chain for just-in-case situations. I keep a small liquid filled compass pinned on the visor of the van. If you need to know directions on a moonless and starless night the simple compass will be a big help. Probably preaching to the choir here though.

 

[PCViking]

Best Maps available

http://www.delorme.com/atlasgaz/

Atlas & Gazetteer™ Series
Mapping America's Back Roads

Now Available for All 50 States!

These are the best maps... I have used them for years, when trying to find obscure hiking & biking trails... They get right down to dirt roads... I strongly reccomend having your state's map with your BOB!

 

[Roadkill]

I make copies out of the DeLorme Atlas & Gazetters. Highlight the main route & alternate routes if any. I will number various rally points, add GPS coordinates & mark with radio frequencies to use. These go into ziplock bags along with extra batteries for the radios & GPS's and other small items. This can be stuff in a pocket or purse and is easily carried though it is normally kept in the BOB's. Luckily we both work on the very edge of town (2 different) and don't have to mess with city streets as it is all rural to home.

 

[Pearl]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I like those Delorme maps, when I can find them locally.

What they have shown is how to get out of the county, which is nice as far as it goes. However the local flood maps are now showing me how to get out of the city. Turns out my planned route would have taken me right into another low area that would likely also be flooded. So, now I'm rearranging my evac route. Fortunately, the new route takes me near my sister's house, so I can link up with her if my neighborhood gets flooded out. She lives on higher ground and, oddly enough, away from the planned sheeple routes. Everybody here will head north and east because the roads head that way, but it looks like safety for me is south.

I raised this as an observation because if people are googling their local disaster recovery plans (like the one yesterday from New Jersey), they might do better to check for hydrology and flood or other hazard maps prepared by county or state engineers. I found mine on the county Water Resources Board site.

FWIW.

Pearl

(edit to add: I've had a BOB in my trunk since 1999, so I've been thinking about it for a while! )

 

[maric]

Thanks for posting but to be honest, DH & I are staying put.

 

[Pearl]

The govornor is a tad upset with FEMA and the whole FED MESS since they do not conside the levees system here in the PRK worth looking into or spending money on. If you live downstream of any dams it would be good to know what may happen if th dam is breached. Even the spring runoff and extra water being loosed from the dams and resevoirs will cause some problems. There is a photo in yesterdays Mod Beee showing the dam near Fresno dumping water over th spillway to lessen pressure on the dam. The rivers will be running full and swift for awhile.

(snip)

Yeah, I knew when DHS visited here a couple of weeks ago that nothing would come of it - just another photo op to show how concerned they were. If our guv seriously expected something from the Feds, then he is more naive than I thought.

I do not live directly below a dam - I'm crazy but not that crazy. Another place to avoid is the 'delta' of dirt that lies at the base of mountain canyons. When I travel in SoCalif desert country, I see a lot of houses built on those things - I guess they sold well because of the valley 'view'. Right. First big storm in the hills, and a flash flood takes away your home. No thanks. There's a reason that pile of dirt is there.

Meanwhile, the levees are still holding and we've had a few days of dry weather. It will be a while before the rivers go down, because the dams are releasing as fast as they can before the spring melt in the Sierra sends all that snow downstream. I'm hopeful we've passed the worst - as long as we don't get another Pineapple Express storm. Ugh.

Pearl

 

[Phil Ca]

The Delorme maps may be purchased at Costco at a decent price when they are available. Don't wait to come back and get them "next time' because they usually are moved pretty fast. Unless Don Pedro and hetch Hetchy both "fail" simultanously we should be OK here in my area of Modesto.