Two Tide Gauges Installed On Novato Creek

NOVATO, CA – Two new tide gauges have been installed on Novato Creek.

The county's Flood Control and Water Conservation District recently installed the gauges to improve around-the-clock tidal elevation monitoring. One of the gauges is on the Rowland Way Bridge near Novato Community Hospital and the other is at the mouth of Novato Creek on San Pablo Bay.

The tide gauges provide timely water elevation readings during storms to assist first responders with emergency notifications, as well as record longer-term tidal changes to help flood control specialists plan for sea-level rise, according to the county.

"These two tide gauges will help us better understand the importance and impacts of tides on flooding in the city of Novato and the baylands in our computer models," said Roger Leventhal, senior civil engineer for the county's flood control district. "This will be a great resource for the district, helping us plan for sea level rise adaptation and the potential flooding associated with it."

Novato Creek Watershed, at 45 square miles, is the largest watershed in the county and features the 17-mile-long Novato Creek, one of the longest waterways in Marin.

The new tide gauges, which cost about $35,000 for hardware and installation, were paid for with district funds from the Novato watershed area known as Flood Control Zone 1, according to the county. The data for all 28 gauges is available to the public in real-time through the district's OneRain website.

Photo 1: One of the new tide gauges is on the Rowland Way bridge near Novato Community Hospital.

Photo 2: One of the new tide gauges is at the mouth of Novato Creek on San Pablo Bay.

Photos via County of Marin