Newport Beach prepares for potential king tides next week by declaring local emergency

In preparation for potential coastal flooding that can pour into low-lying neighborhoods, Newport Beach declared a local emergency and activated other protocols on Monday night, nearly a week before the anticipated event.

"Exceptionally high tides" are anticipated between Monday and Wednesday of next week, the city said, the first in a series of king tide events expected to continue into the new year. During Monday's city council meeting, Newport Beach also activated its Emergency Operations Center in an effort to coordinate plans more effectively as conditions change rapidly.

Also approved on Monday was a contract for the West Newport Beach Sand Replenishment Project, allowing about 100,000 cubic yards of sand from the Santa Ana River to be placed along eroded beach areas between 36th and 62nd Streets. That sand will replenish beaches affected by recent storms. The project is expected to begin next week.

The city said upcoming king tides have the potential to cause flooding along the Balboa Peninsula, islands in Newport Harbor and other areas. Less than two weeks ago, urban flooding on the Balboa Peninsula disrupted daily life for residents and forced an additional local emergency declaration.

"It was honestly life-threatening," resident Gary Winthrop said about the coastal flooding on Oct. 10. "We were pretty scared it was going to come into the house. But thankfully we got sandbags pretty quick, all the neighbors were super supportive."

Newport Beach told the public it's taking "proactive measures" to reduce upcoming flooding impacts, including the reinforcement of beach berms and positioning of sandbags in flood-prone locations.

The city urged residents to take the following actions to protect their homes and property:

• Placing sandbags or temporary flood barriers along all vulnerable areas, including seawalls, garages, doorways and other low-lying openings.
• Inspect waterfront walls and private flood protection measures for potential vulnerabilities.
• Clear debris from private drains, gutters and drainage areas.
• Relocate vehicles, particularly low-clearance vehicles, away from flood-prone streets and parking areas.
• Avoid walking or driving through flooded streets and follow posted warnings and temporary road closures.

Free prefilled sandbags are being provided at the following locations:

• Corporation Yard, 592 Superior Ave.
• Marina Park, 1600 W. Balboa Blvd.
• Temporary Fire Station No. 1, East Ocean Front Parking Lot near Balboa Pier

For ongoing updates, residents are encouraged to:

• Sign up for Newport Notified emergency alerts at NBPD.org to receive important public safety notifications.
• Follow @CityofNewportBeach on Instagram and Facebook and the City's official Nextdoor account for updates on coastal conditions, road closures, and other important information.