Novato Creek Dredging​ Project To Begin In July

NOVATO, CA — Three creeks in Novato will be cleared of sediment this summer as part of a $1.55 million flood mitigation project, county officials said. The project, overseen by Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, is slated to begin in early July and expected to continue through the end of October

The sediment, which naturally accumulates over time, will be removed from the eastern section of Flood Control Zone 1, which encompasses the greater Novato area, according to the county.

The project will target lower reaches of Novato, Warner and Arroyo Avichi creeks from Diablo Avenue near downtown Novato to downstream of the railroad tracks off Rowland Way, behind the Century Rowland Plaza movie theater, according to the county. Approximately 1.5 miles of creek beds will be dredged.

Workers will use trucks and heavy equipment to remove the sediment in and near the creeks between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. The work may be noisy at times.

The district will use the sediment that is removed from the creeks to widen the floodplain and restore tidal wetlands in the Deer Island Basin and Novato Baylands to help habitat adaptation to sea-level rise, according to the county.

Funding for the project comes from one Flood Control Zone 1's maintenance budget.