• Merced Stream Tracker - California Department of Water Resources, Division of Flood Management
• California Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC) - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• National Weather Service Forecast

Flood Preparedness: Sand and Sandbag Resources for Merced Residents

To help protect homes and neighborhoods during the winter storm season, the City of Merced offers free, self-serve sand at designated public locations when heavy rain and flood risks arise. This program is intended to support residents in mitigating stormwater runoff and localized flooding; however, it is not designed to address poor drainage issues within private property.

Sand Pickup Locations: Will be listed here and activated during flood-risk events.

Sandbags: While the City does not regularly provide filled sandbags, empty sandbags can be purchased at local hardware stores such as Home Depot, Lowe’s, and others. During major storm events, the City may partner with Merced County Office of Emergency Services (OES) to distribute sandbags. If activated, distribution details will be shared through official City channels and local media.

Using Sandbags Effectively: Residents are encouraged to learn proper sandbag placement to maximize protection.

Program Highlights:

• Free sand will be available when heavy rain may pose flood risk
• Scalable emergency response in partnership with Merced County

Thank you for being proactive and community minded.