The City of Sacramento on Oct. 15 will host the Highwater Jamboree, its annual flood preparedness event.
Attendees will be able to interact with flood-fighting equipment — including the “Claw” and other heavy machinery — as well as helicopters and Police and Fire rescue vehicles. They also can learn how to prepare for storm and flood events at interactive learning stations.
“We’re excited to bring back this event after putting it on pause during the pandemic,” said Carlos Eliason, spokesperson for the City’s Department of Utilities. “The Highwater Jamboree is part of our efforts to keep citizens prepared for possible floods while having fun and learning.”
The event was last held in 2019 and is named after a “high-water mark,” a term that describes the highest known elevation of a body of water during a flood.
It will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Garcia Bend Park (7654 Pocket Road) and will feature more than a dozen partner agencies, including FEMA, California Department of Water Resources, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and California Highway Patrol.
People can register for the free event on the City’s Eventbrite page (although registration is not required to attend). Families and pets are welcome at the event, which also will feature food trucks.
Because Sacramento is situated between two rivers and has a high risk of flooding, it’s critical for residents to be educated about how they can best protect their families, homes and communities, said Daniel Bowers, the City’s director of emergency management.
“Our aim is to make preparing for large storms like second nature,” Bowers said. “If education is too dry, people won’t absorb it. So events like this one are great ways for residents to engage in some interactive learning while seeing how the region is organized and ready to respond to critical events.”