BAY AREA • HOUSEHOLD FIELD GUIDE

Storm ready,
Napa.

Napa River & independent creek flooding. Local steps and official sources for the place you call home.

Sources reviewed October 24, 2026 · Preparation guide

Making a decision today?

Check current forecasts, warnings and local instructions. This guide does not display live alerts or verify road access, shelters or supply stock.

NWS Bay Area forecasts & alerts

01 / KNOW YOUR EXPOSURE

Napa River & independent creek flooding

The Napa River can rise gradually while smaller streams can flash flood. Napa Creek can flood independently of the river, so a river reading alone cannot establish that a property or road is safe.

Read the map correctly

The city describes its inundation map as a rough guide. It is not a parcel-level FEMA determination or live road-closure map. Use the floodplain program and FEMA for effective records.

Official local map guidance FEMA effective flood-map address lookup

Maps cannot rule out flooding outside a mapped zone. No individual parcel has been assessed for this guide.

02 / BEFORE THE RAIN

Your household checklist

Check items for this visit, then use your browser’s print command for a paper copy.

Prepare for creek warnings as well as Napa River conditions.
Review evacuation assistance and a destination outside the affected area.
Confirm sandbag pickup details directly; do not rely on an old flyer or general floodplain page.
Prepare drinking water, food, medications, lights, charged devices and important documents.
Agree on a meeting place and help for children, older adults, pets and access needs.
Safely clear private gutters and drains before storms. Stay out of channels; report public blockages.

Napa official preparation guidance

03 / PROTECT LOW ENTRANCES

Sandbags: check before you go

Official city pages conflict on routine pickup location and hours. Check the dedicated Sandbag Program and confirm with the Corp Yard at 707-257-9541 before travel. That program describes first Saturdays November–April, self-service, own gloves/shovel and a 10-bag household limit. Emergency distribution requires a flood threat or agency activation.

Confirm current activation, eligibility, stock and hours before travel. Sandbags can help redirect shallow runoff; they do not make a building floodproof or replace evacuation.

Official sandbag program & locations

04 / STAY CONNECTED

Alerts & local reporting

Check city and county emergency channels for incident instructions; call 911 for immediate life danger.

Official city storm contactsCall 911 for immediate danger to life.

When a storm arrives

Follow official evacuation instructions. Stay out of floodwater, never drive around barricades, and avoid downed wires. Do not enter unsafe drainage channels or attempt storm-time roof or gutter work. Check actual closures before traveling.

A local question

Can Napa Creek flood before the Napa River?

Yes. Creek and river hazards differ. Follow alerts for both and never use a single river gauge as permission to cross floodwater.