Officials Outline Storm Preparations for San Francisquito Creek
Representatives from the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority (JPA) and its partner agencies shared their winter preparedness efforts and flood risk reduction measures at a joint press event held on the top of a levee in East Palo Alto, Calif., a neighborhood that has been the site of previous flooding. With increasing probabilities of strong El Niño storms this winter, the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority, Santa Clara Valley Water District, cities of East Palo Alto, Palo Alto and Menlo Park, Calif., as well as the San Mateo County Flood Control District have been working together to prepare San Francisquito Creek and the community for high flows.
Speakers included Len Materman, executive director, San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority; East Palo Alto Mayor Lisa Gauthier; Palo Alto Mayor Karen Holman; Gary Kremen, chair, board of directors, Santa Clara Valley Water District; Menlo Park City Manager Alex McIntyre and San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Pine.
“East Palo Alto is coordinating with the JPA partners to ensure equal protection on both sides of the creek,” Gauthier said. “Hopefully, these efforts will make us all better off and protect our residents.”
JPA also debuted a new website that displays a color-coded map showing the likelihood of flooding at key constriction points along the channel and in specific neighborhoods.
“The site provides a two hour warning where we can now anticipate points where creek levels will overtop,” Materman said. “The site also makes rain and creek flow data during major storms both useful and user friendly.”
Winter storm preparation efforts included an annual creek maintenance walk on Aug. 19 and 20 to identify debris needed to be cleared from the channel.
“Our city crews removed 2,700 lb of trash, and 750 lb of recyclables from Menlo Park’s 1.3 miles of creek,” McIntyre said.
Vegetation removal is now complete. Creek banks have been reinforced with enhanced sandbag structures, and officials indicated there are eight sandbag locations across East Palo Alto, Palo Alto and Menlo Park to serve the communities.
“While we can’t control how much rain falls, we are committed to proactively doing everything possible to reduce the risks of flooding, supporting our communities and working with our neighborhoods to be prepared,” Holman said. “Our first priority remains the safety of our communities and the protection of homes and that is where we have been and will continue to focus our efforts.”
The JPA and its partner cities and agencies have been conducting considerable outreach to communities with information on how to check creek levels, emergency response resources, as well as updated information on the overall San Francisquito Creek flood protection project.
Source: Santa Clara Valley Water District