TWITCHELL ISLAND — What better place to prepare for the possible “monster” El Niño than on one of the Delta’s many leveed islands where river flooding during a strong storm could cause catastrophic conditions. Last week more than 200 members of the California Conservation Corps came together on the Delta’s Twitchell Island for some preparedness training.

“The Corps has worked a lot of hours to aid in full-scale flooding situations,” Susanne Levitsky of the CCC Public Information Office said, citing such events during flooding in the 1997-98 El Niño.

The California Conservation Corps is a state agency that puts together young people between the ages of 18 and 25, and the environment, to the benefit of both. They also assist with emergency response situation like fighting fires, floods, earthquakes and pest infestations.

In last week’s program the corps members were participating in a large-scale flood preparedness exercise that is conducted annually to help sharpening skills that may be needed during the winter and possible El Niño storms. The 200 participants came from throughout the state for the training.

“This was a chance for Corps members from all over the state to get training for dealing with different storm conditions,” Levitsky said.

Corps members work one year in service, which includes a lot of training for various emergency situations like flooding. Levitsky said that this type of training in the Corps could lead to many future career opportunities.

The Twitchell Island event allowed Corps members to hone their techniques in protecting levees from wave-wash erosion, constructing sandbag walls and building sandbag rings on a levee site.

“By having Corps members from all over the state it gives them the chance to see all the different techniques and learn from each other,” Levitsky said.

When the day’s trials were completed, the CCC considered the day a success, leaving members feeling prepared for what might come in the months ahead, she said.