Floodwaters Swell South Fork Eel River, Prompting Health Warnings
![The South Fork Eel River spill over its banks flooding Kimtu Road. [Photo by Dylan Music]](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/387850759_824942646218554_5272606791286576695_n-3.jpg)
The South Fork Eel River spill over its banks flooding Kimtu Road. [Photo by Dylan Music]
Press release from the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services:
As Humboldt County experiences localized flooding, health officials are reminding county residents about health risks related to flood waters and considerations for those reliant on individual water supplies and Onsite
Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS) in extreme weather events and power failures.
Contact with floodwater should be avoided, wherever possible, as it may contain untreated sewage or other harmful contaminants. Sewage overflows have been reported by local service districts as a result of stormwater infiltration exceeding the capacity of their facilities and may affect your area.
Washing hands with water known to be safe and changing into dry clothing and shoes, after incidental exposure to flood waters, will reduce concerns with communicable diseases.
Residents with water systems impacted by floodwaters should not consume the water until the water system has been tested to confirm that the water quality meets safe drinking water standards. As a temporary measure, bottled water may be used for drinking and cooking.
The Department of Health & Human Services, Public Health Branch, Division of Environmental Health’s (DEH) “Rainstorm Flooding Health Advisory and Clean-up Guidance” handout (PDF) has information on health hazards related to flooding and well disinfection methods.
Individuals with households or businesses served by nonstandard OWTS or pumping systems are advised to conserve capacity by reducing water use to all but essential needs such as drinking, cooking, handwashing and flushing toilets.
All OWTS in low-lying areas impacted by flooding may back up or operate sluggishly.
Time, drier weather and measures to alleviate flooding may improve the operating conditions of the system. Components of the system including the septic tank, pumping chamber and disposal area should be inspected as they become exposed. Report continued poor operation or failure of the system to DEH.
For information about how to reenter your home after you have had flooding, check out this Centers for Disease Control and Prevention handout: Safety Guidelines: Reentering Your Flooded Home | Floods | CDC.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency also has information about returning home after a flood.
For more information, you can also contact DEH at 707-445-6215 or 1-800-963-9241.
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Would not want to be slopping around up at Yee Haw right now….wonder what’s flowing into that creek for those downstream neighbors…
Yeah, that place is a turd bath even in dry weather.
Has anyone offered help. A septic system wouldn’t be to expensive. Sobody with a tractor. A tank and some lines. That’s the type of thing we used to do for our neighbors. It sounds like yee haw is a struggling comune. With out it they will be on the street
A tractor, a tank and some lines? And a soils test, environmental report, archeologist report and permit. For that many people? In the middle of the woods? Sounds pretty expensive.
And not likely, as the owner is far from a poor man and could have done such work decades ago if he wanted.
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Not only that. While Planning and Code Enforcement have been targeting Yee Haw for decades, DHHS has been sending homeless individuals there for shelter. It’s particularly sick when you think that the money two agencies spend trying to force the closure of the property could have easily covered the cost of the systems they’re complaining about. In the meantime, DHHS continues to ask the owner to shelter homeless people.
Where is Yee Haw?
Trinidad.
The fishing report is “lots of brown heads in the water.