Environmental Remediation Following Removal of Encampments in Santa Ana River (Flood Control Facility)
(Room 602-603)
08 Sep 19
4:00 PM
-
4:50 PM
Tracks:
Water Resources: Stormwater
In 2016, homeless encampments started appearing in the Santa Ana River—a 30-mile-long flood control facility in the heart of Orange County, California. The encampment numbers rapidly grew to over 700 in an eighteen-month period. In January of 2018, Orange County Public Works in collaboration with several County agencies embarked on a massive effort to house the residents in local area motels and connect them with social and mental health services. A web-based GIS tool was developed to identify, locate, and remove any new encampments along 380 miles of channels utilizing in-house and contract services. This tool interfaces with the department’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool for public reporting for debris within the flood control district rights-of-way. Join this session to find out how emerging technology can be used to enhance safety, improve water quality, and manage public perception in flood control rights-of-way.