Take Winter by Storm: Landside Awareness Meeting on 10/29

If you own property on a slope, you may want to consider attending this meeting…

The City of Seattle will be offering two free landslide awareness meetings on Oct. 29 and Nov. 12 (same format). The public will have the opportunity to consult with public and private landslide experts and learn how to protect themselves from landslides with simple preventive measures, such as the following:

• Checking downspouts; making sure they are functioning/routed to a safe location
• Inspecting sloping areas for indications of slope movement and erosion
• Keeping fill and yard waste off slopes
• Shutting off the irrigation system and checking it out seasonally
• Leaving tree stumps in the ground on slopes

The landslide awareness meetings will include a presentation that discusses the causes of landslides, proper drainage for sloping sites, and vegetation maintenance on slopes. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer session; and time for one-on-one discussions with professionals in the field, including the City of Seattle, The American Society for Civil Engineers, The Association of Engineering Geologists, The International Society of Arboriculture, and Associated Building Contractors.

• Oct. 29 – 10:00 am to noon, Northgate Community Center Multipurpose Room, 10510 5th Ave NE
• Nov 12 – 10:00 am to noon, South Seattle Community College
  Judge Warren & Nobie Chan Education Center, 6000 16th Ave SW (across from the north parking lot)

The landslide record that was documented in the Seattle Landslide Study indicates that 86 percent of landslides that occurred in the city have some human influence such as excavating and filling on steep slopes, broken pipes and uncontrolled storm water.

If a landslide damages your property and you have an immediate concern for your safety, leave the premises and call 9-1-1. Seattle property owners with structures that may be affected by or endangered by a landslide should contact a geotechnical professional for structural evaluation.

To view the current conditions of the USGS rainfall threshold for landslides, please visit:
http://landslides.usgs.gov/monitoring/seattle/rtd/plot.php

For more information about Seattle landslides and the City of Seattle free landslide awareness meetings, please visit: www.seattle.gov/pdp/emergency/landslides

Take Winter By Storm is a regional campaign aimed at helping citizens and businesses get prepared before bad weather strikes. Learn more at www.takewinterbystorm.org.