For Immediate Release –
Ross Valley, CA –
An informational event on this flood risk reduction project’s progress is set for October 15
The Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District will soon host an information open house about an ongoing project to reduce the frequency and severity of flooding in the lower Ross Valley. Modifications to the 50-plus-year-old concrete channel are designed to enhance the functionality of Corte Madera Creek.
The District invites residents, particularly those who live near the creek in Kentfield, Ross, and Larkspur (see project map), to an informational open house about the Corte Madera Creek Flood Risk Management Project. It is set for Tuesday, October 15, from 6:30 PM to 8 PM, at Marin Catholic High School, within the Saint John Paul II Student Center, located at 675 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Kentfield.
This event will be a drop-in format, so people can come in anytime and talk with District staff to learn about components of the critical public safety project. Participants will receive an overview of the project, including the progress and next steps. There will also be plan renderings and project maps to show how the project will help protect lives and property along Corte Madera Creek during floods.
The District project is designed to make improvements to the concrete channel that was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in the 1960-70s. The District project area starts at Lagunitas Road in Ross and ends downstream at the earthen channel in Kentfield.
Construction began in 2022 and is expected to finish by the end of 2026. The improvements will help reduce flood risks for residents and businesses in Ross, Kentfield and Larkspur from “25-year flood events:” larger flood events that happen – on average – once every 25 years. In addition, the project would improve fish passage and habitat.
The most recent milestone of the project is the completion of the pump station in the Granton Park neighborhood in Kentfield, making it ready for the upcoming winter 2024-2025 season.
The California Coastal Conservancy just authorized $1.6 million for the Wetland Restoration component of the project, bringing the total to $2.2 million including the previously awarded National Coastal Wetlands Grant. The Wetland Restoration component is focused on the downstream end of the concrete channel. This next phase of construction is anticipated to begin in summer 2025.
The overall project cost is approximately $18 million, covering everything from design and permitting to construction and monitoring. Of that, about $12 million is just for the construction phase. The funding comes from the California Department of Water Resources, the State Coastal Conservancy, County Sea Level Rise Funds from American Rescue Plan Act, the US Fish & Wildlife Service, a National Coastal Wetlands Conservation grant, and the Zone 9 storm drainage fee.
The District will continue to work with its consultants on hydraulic models, develop Conditional Letter of Map Revision documents, and further discussions with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in collaboration with the Towns of Ross and San Anselmo.
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For disability accommodations, please phone 415-473-6528 (Voice), CA Relay 711, or email District staff at least five business days in advance of the event. The County will do its best to fulfill requests received with less than five business days’ notice. Copies of documents are available in alternative formats, upon request.
Contact:
Berenice Davidson
Assistant Director
Public Works
3501 Civic Center Drive.
#304
San Rafael, CA 94903