Clark County Public Works begins preparing equipment and crews for inclement-weather impacts early in the fall and is ready to respond during this week’s weather event

VANCOUVER – With heavy rains and gusty winds forecasted, Public Works is sharing information for county residents to prepare and respond to storm-related hazards.

Responding to weather-related impacts in unincorporated county

Clark County Public Works begins preparing equipment and crews for inclement-weather impacts early in the fall and is ready to respond during this week’s weather event. The department responds to reports of hazards and issues on roads and county properties in unincorporated parts of the county, i.e., areas that are not within a city’s limits.

• A tool is available on the Public Works website to find out whether a road or property is within the county’s response area.
• The tool on the Public Works website also includes links to other agencies for issues with roads or properties within their service areas.
• Residents can report hazards and issues on county roads and properties (including parks), such as downed trees, standing water/flooding, by calling 564.397.2446 or using the online reporting form. Urgent issues, including those requiring an immediate response outside business hours, should be reported by phone.
• Downed power lines should be reported directly to Clark Public Utilities.
• Hazards on state roads (Interstate 5, Interstate 204, State Routes 14, 500, 501, 502, 503) should be reported by calling 911.

Resources for residents

• Sandbags are available to residents, for free, at two Public Works locations. Bags and sand are provided; residents need to fill their own bags. The materials are available all hours of the day, all days of the week at:
  • 78th Street Operations Center, 4700 NE 78th St.
  • 149th Street Operations Center, 11609 NE 149th St.
• Public Works shares information about storm-related closures and impacts to county roads and parks in several ways. Residents are encouraged to:
  • Check Public Works’ social media profiles (Facebook, Instagram and X) for updates, and beware of information, speculation and rumors shared on social media from unofficial accounts.
  • Sign up to receive closure information via email.
  • Sign up to receive news releases via email; news releases are shared with local news media to provide lists of closures and storm-related impacts, and residents can now sign up to receive that same information directly to their email.
  • Check the Public Works News page on the county website.

Important storm safety tips

• Never drive or walk through floodwaters.
• Always respect closure signs and barricades – they are there to protect people from hazards and dangerous conditions.  
• Slow down in areas with water on the roadway, give other vehicles plenty of space and avoid sudden maneuvers.
• Give crews working in the roadway or right-of-way plenty of space and slow down. Follow all signage and directions given.
• During gusty winds, avoid wooded/forested areas. Listen and watch for falling branches.
• Never enter or approach rivers during high water or flooding. Recreational river users (such as anglers) should always wear life jackets when recreating in or near local water bodies, especially in winter, when the water is swift, cold, and carries hazards such as logs and storm debris.

For information about road and park projects, closures, opportunities for community input, and more, residents can follow Public Works on X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook and Instagram and view information on Nextdoor. Residents can also visit clark.wa.gov/public-works to sign up for email notifications.

Go to clark.wa.gov/public-works/news to read this information in another language. Click the button in the top right of the page that says “Change language” next to a globe icon and choose your preferred language.

Information provided by Clark Co. WA Communications.