Flooding Expected To Return To Marin County Due To King Tides: NOAA

MARIN COUNTY, CA — Marin County residents and businesses are being urged to prepare for more seasonal King Tides, the highest tides of the year, which are forecast to impact the area from Thursday through Monday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that these tides could cause temporary flooding in low-lying and flood-prone areas along the Bay shoreline, near creeks, and in locations that have historically experienced flooding.

A storm in early January caused significant disruption across a roughly 15-mile corridor from Sausalito to San Rafael, with the area repeatedly submerged.

The flooding was severe, with authorities reporting cars stranded in water that was three to four feet deep. Compounding the chaos, a countywide 911 outage occurred after an AT&T hub in San Rafael was hit by the floodwaters.

“Later this week, seasonal king tides are expected to return,” said County Executive Derek Johnson at the Marin County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday. “Localized impacts are possible, especially in areas that have experienced king tides in the past, including low lying and flood prone areas.”

Officials warned Wednesday that these tides may be high enough to flood some coastal and bayside roadways, potentially impacting commute times and travel plans, especially if the high tides coincide with rainfall.

Areas historically susceptible to flooding, and places where signs of sea level rise have exacerbated tidal flooding, have the highest likelihood of being affected, officials said.

Recent King Tide flooding has occurred in locations such as North San Pedro Road through China Camp in San Rafael, the Canal neighborhood of San Rafael, Greenwood Cove Drive in Tiburon, Lucky Drive in Greenbrae, Redwood Highway at Greenbrae Boardwalk, Marin City, the Mill Valley-Sausalito pathway, and the Manzanita Park & Ride lot (a Caltrans property) near Tam Junction.

County officials are encouraging preparedness now to minimize damage and ensure community safety.

To prepare for potential flooding, it is essential to take several proactive steps. First, secure sandbags early from designated locations across Marin County; you can find a list of sites at emergency.marincounty.gov/pages/sandbags. Next, ensure effective water runoff by clearing all debris from gutters, drains, and driveways. If your vehicle is currently parked in a flood-prone area, relocate it immediately to higher ground. Finally, check your equipment by testing your sump pump and confirming that all emergency supplies are readily available. Remember to stay informed by signing up for local alerts and monitoring updates at emergency.marincounty.gov.

Residents are advised to limit travel during peak tide periods. Officials also advise keeping children and pets out of floodwater, checking road conditions at 511.org before traveling, and calling 911 in an emergency.

In flood-prone neighborhoods of Southern Marin, such as waterfront Sausalito, residents are urged to plan ahead and use higher-ground parking options when available during peak King Tide periods. Community members should monitor local conditions and allow extra time for parking.

Designated higher-ground parking options in Southern Marin include:

• Parks: Sausalito Dog Park (100 Ebbtide), Dunphy Park (Bridgeway at Napa Street), Marinship Park (2201 Marinship Way), and MLK Park (610 Coloma Street).
• Street Parking: The west side of the 1700 block of Bridgeway (from Easterby to Napa Street), the east side of Bridgeway (from Marinship Way to 2300 Bridgeway), and the west side of Bridgeway (from Spring Street to Olive Street).

For updates, preparedness tips, and resources, visit emergency.marincounty.gov or readymarin.marincounty.gov.

Following record king tides and heavy rains that flooded major Marin County roadways, residents attended a Marin County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday todemand stronger action on flooding.