Sepulveda Basin, Channel Task Forces OKd : Disasters: Councilwoman Joy Picus says a systematic approach is needed for rescues in flooded areas. Adam Bischoff’s storm death is cited.

The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved forming separate panels to recommend ways to prevent drownings in city flood-control channels and to evacuate motorists from the Sepulveda Basin area during high water.

Citing the drowning death of 15-year-old Adam Paul Bischoff last Wednesday, Councilwoman Joy Picus, who authored the measures, said the city must develop a systematic approach for rescuing people from flooded areas.

The Woodland Hills boy fell into the raging water of the Los Angeles River and drowned despite efforts by authorities to pull him to safety as he was swept nearly 10 miles downstream.

Fire Chief Donald Manning said that such rescues are extremely difficult. He said Adam was swept down the river at speeds of up to 28 m.p.h. “That’s as fast as you would water ski,” he told council members.

Picus called for Manning to name someone from his department to chair a panel of local government officials to explore rescue methods in the channels, including permanent placement of nets along bridges over the channels or the stationing of motor boats along them.

In a separate motion, Picus asked that the city’s chief engineer head a task force to look into ways to keep motorists out of the Sepulveda Basin during major flooding.

Both measures were approved on 13-0 votes.

Last week, 48 motorists traveling through the basin during the heavy rain were trapped by rising water behind the basin’s flood-control dam. Some of the motorists had to be plucked from the roofs of their cars by Fire Department helicopters.

Burbank Boulevard and Woodley Avenue are the two main thoroughfares running through the basin.

The episode sparked a controversy over who was to blame for not warning motorists to stay out of the basin during the stormy weather.

The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, which owns the basin and operates the dam, has admitted that it did not immediately appreciate the severity of the storm that flooded more than 400 acres of the basin.

Corps officials also have acknowledged that its workers monitoring the basin were inexperienced in dealing with severe flooding, that its rain gauges were inadequately checked and that it had received faulty weather forecasts.

However, corps officials urged the city to clarify whom the Army agency should notify if flooding occurs.

The corps said its dam-keeper first called the Los Angeles Police Department about the flooding threat at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 10. By that time, trapped and frightened motorists already were scrambling to find refuge atop their cars.

City officials remained confused about who is responsible for closing gates block the streets crossing the basin. Police said last week it is the Recreation and Parks Department’s responsibility to order the gates closed, but a parks department spokesman said it is up to the city Department of Transportation. However, an official from that department said it is the Department of Public Works’ duty to decide when conditions warrant closing the gates, but that department said it is up to the police.