… Efforts in Montecito have become an emblem of how communities can come together after storms to rebuild a resilient town ahead of future climate-driven disasters. … Montecito officials and residents took a multifaceted response to rebuilding after the 2018 debris flow, including a realisation that new safety initiatives had to be adopted. … The Flood Control District started regularly walking debris basins that had been built in the 1960s after the previous damaging mudslides, and using drones to spot any debris needed for removal by bulldozers and trucks. Sediment would have normally washed to the sea on its own but now gets stuck in the basins. The county implemented a routine of removing some of the larger sediment flows to nearby beaches as part of an “emergency beach nourishment” programme, to help keep the basins clear. They are also in touch with other communities that might need sediment for uses such as a coastal dune restoration site. While it was at first met with criticism … because it de-beautified some of the community’s beaches, the removal allowed the basins to stay open for future storms.

Other flood mitigation news:

• U.S. Geological Survey: Blog: Causes and consequences of flooding in California’s Central Valley​