Archived News Release from 2005

For Immediate Release

City Advises Preparations During High Tides This Week

Redwood City, CA - February 7, 2005 - Due to unusually high tides over the next few days, Redwood City is cautioning residents in flood-prone areas to be vigilant and make appropriate preparations. The tides will be peaking from February 7 through February 11, creating the potential for an overflow of water in flood-prone areas. Residents in those areas, particularly east of El Camino Real and specifically along Maple Street and Walnut near the Marina, are urged to take measures to reduce the risk and effects of flooding:

• Residents should be mindful of parking vehicles in areas known to experience flooding during high tides. To determine whether an area is susceptible to flooding during high tides, residents may contact the Public Works Services Department at (650) 780-7464.
• Obey the warning signs posted in flood prone locations and avoid parking vehicles in these areas.
• Residents can pick up sandbags on first come-first served basis at 1400 Broadway; when not being used, they should be stored in a dry area or covered with protective plastic to keep them dry.
• Trash or debris should not be placed in the gutters, creeks, or drainage canals, in order to keep catch basins and storm drain openings clear of debris.
• If residents observe a significant blockage of leaves or other debris in gutters, creeks, or drainage canals, they should call Redwood City Public Works at 780-7464.
• Residents can help us by raking leaves away from the catch basins to allow flow to continue, and piling them on the planting strip so that they are not washed back into catch basins.

Redwood City’s Public Works Department crews will be particularly vigilant throughout this period, working to ensure that streets, gutters, and drains are clear and running, and that the pump stations and tide gates are functioning. These crews are responsible for taking care of literally thousands of storm drain catch basins (which ‘catch’ the dirt and debris as storm water flows through) and inlets (the grated storm drains you see in gutters), over 100 miles of storm drain pipe, 75 tide gates, 82 open culverts, and over 10 miles of creeks, drainage ditches, and canals.

For the most part, Redwood City is at sea level. Rainwater collects in catch basins, flows to the creeks, then downhill to one of 17 pump stations. These stations pump the storm water into the Bay to keep it from flooding low-lying areas of the City. The City’s 75 tide gates keep high tides from pushing ‘upstream’ and overloading already-swollen creeks and basins, and during low tide the gates let creek water flow into the Bay.

Further general information on disaster preparedness is available on the Redwood City Fire Department's web pages.

Visit Redwood City 's award-winning website at www.redwoodcity.org for information about the City and its services, the community, recreation programs, education, City government, and local business.

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Contact:
Marilyn Harang
Public Works Superintendent
(650) 780-7464