Urban Flood Prevention

 

For Immediate Release

 

***Press Release***
December 30, 2021

MOUNT VERNON—With temperatures inching above freezing over the next few days, the City is asking residents to keep an eye out for blocked storm drains. Storm drains or “catch basins” are the grates in our streets that direct rain and melted snow away from streets and into the Skagit River.

Blocked storm drains lead to urban flooding. With over 7,000 storm drains in our city, the Streets Department will not be able to monitor all of them.

“There are a couple of things folks can do if they come across urban flooding due to a blocked storm drain,” Public Works Engineering Manager Blain Chesterfield said. “The first thing is, they can clear the blockage around the drain. If that’s not possible, they can call the City and report the problem.”

The phone number for the City’s Public Works Department is 360-336-6204.