UPDATED: Multiple Marin Agencies Respond to Storm Calls

PHOTO: A firefighter helps with flooding cleanup at a Marin County shopping center on the morning of December 3, 2014.

From the County of Marin:

Firefighters from every agency in Marin County answered storm-related calls during an overnight deluge on December 2-3 and continue to help residents and businesses with flood mitigation efforts.

Marin County Fire Department Deputy Chief Mark Brown said firefighters from Mill Valley, Southern Marin, Tiburon and the County received a rush of emergency calls after the storm slammed Southern Marin at about 3 a.m. Wednesday. An undetermined number of homes and businesses were affected by water and mud following about 1.6 inches of rain over a three-hour period, and Brown said the responses were likely to continue for the remainder of the day.

Residents and commuters continue to be on high alert for flooding. The Marin County Sheriff’s Office reported that cars were escorted through heavy flooding at Lucas Valley Road under Highway 101 just north of San Rafael. In Novato, first responders opened an emergency operations center to coordinate calls for minor flooding and road closures. Flooding at Alameda De La Loma and Corte Alta in Novato delayed drivers. Further south, motorists should be cautious of heavy flooding at Miller Avenue and Almonte Boulevard in Mill Valley as well as on Bridge Street, the major road connecting Marin City and Sausalito.

Marin County Department of Public Works (DPW) reported no road closures in unincorporated areas of Marin. The area of Shoreline Highway and Highway 101 near Mill Valley is routinely subject to tidal flooding and vulnerable during major storms. At the Highway 101 onramp at Manzanita, between Mill Valley and Sausalito, the tidal flooding began at a tide elevation of 6.5 feet MLLW (mean lower low water). On Wednesday, the tide crest was at 7.8 feet and flooding was expected in excess of 1.5 feet deep at that location. High tide took place at about 9 a.m. Wednesday. The record high tide was set in 1983 at 8.66 MLLW.

DPW crews have performed routine maintenance on pump stations, creeks, ditches and levees and regularly patrol flood-prone areas. DPW personnel is on standby to address issues should they arise during the current storm and throughout the winter season.

“We are grateful for this much-needed rain,” said Tracy Clay, Principal Civil Engineer with DPW. “All systems are ready for the winter.”

The County does not provide free sandbags to the public. Residents who live in towns and cities can check with their local government offices to see if sandbags are available at municipal corporation yards. Some hardware stores sell sandbags, including:

• Martin Bros., 232 Shoreline Highway, Mill Valley
• Pini Ace Hardware, 1535 S. Novato Blvd., Novato
• Shamrock Materials, 548 Dubois St., San Rafael
• Water Components, 44 Simms St., San Rafael
• Goodman’s Hardware, 775 Redwood Hwy., Mill Valley

Marin residents should be attentive to potential impacts from the heavy rainfall including additional flooding, potential landslides, and impacted utilities such as blocked road drains and downed power lines.

Learn more through these resources:

Marin County Watershed Program Flood Preparedness:http://www.marinwatersheds.org/flood_preparedness.html

Marin County Public Works Flood Control:http://www.marincounty.org/depts/pw/divisions/flood-control

Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program:http://www.marincounty.org/depts/pw/divisions/mcstoppp