Landslide awareness meetings scheduled at SSCC | Events

November is Seattle’s wettest month, and with the rain comes the threat of landslides. Since November 1, 3.25 inches of rain has fallen at Sea-Tac Airport—exceeding the seasonal average by 0.68 inches.

“As the rainy season begins in Seattle, residents and homeowners need to be alert that the chance of having landslides greatly increases,” said Bill Benzer, City of Seattle Landslide Expert. “The soil will be saturated, which reduces slope stability, but certain measures can be taken to help protect yourself and your property from landslides.”

The Take Winter by Storm campaign is urging property owners of landslide-prone sites to clear drains and takes other simple measures on their property, such as:

• Checking downspouts, to make sure they are functioning and routed to a safe location.
• Inspecting sloping areas for indications of slope movement (such as cracks in the ground, and newly tilting trees) 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.

To help residents understand how they can better manage their landslide-prone property, the City of Seattle has set up two free public landslide awareness meetings. The meeting presentation will include a discussion of the causes of landslides, proper drainage for sloping sites, and vegetation maintenance on slopes.

The presentations 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. Here is all the meeting information:

December 4, 10 a.m. to Noon

South Seattle Community College

6000 16th Ave. S.W.