Staff of the Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District conduct regular maintenance activities throughout the year in Flood Zone 3. Staff working for Flood Control Zone 3, which includes portions of Mill Valley, Marin City, and Tamalpais Valley, conduct preventative maintenance at all pump stations every year and their work includes the inspection, testing, and replacement of electrical and mechanical components. Additionally, individual pumps and motors are typically removed and serviced for major preventive maintenance on a six-year interval at each of the Zone’s four stations.
This summer the #1 pump at Cardinal Pump station (Tam Valley on Cardinal Road) and the #2 pump at Ryan Creek pump station near Mill Valley Middle School) were removed for service, repair, and refurbishment in June. They will be reinstalled the week of September 12th. A corroded metal pipe at Crest Marin Pump station was replaced in August as part of the prescribed maintenance for this pump station. The roof of the Cardinal and Shoreline pump stations will be repaired this fall. A comprehensive condition assessment for the Crest Marin Pump station will be conducted this winter.
The Coyote Creek levees were mowed this spring. Rodent control and filling of burrows was completed in the summer and a second phase will be completed in September. Levee conditions are continually inspected throughout the winter during storms, and/or high tides when seepage is most evident.
Vegetation overhanging the concrete channel of Coyote Creek will be removed in September to facilitate inspection of the concrete walls and tide gates.
Sediment removal is planned the last week of September or early October in Crest Marin Creek in the vicinity of the Ross Drive footbridge and along a tributary to Nyhan Creek at the Tam Valley Elementary school.
Before, during, and after storms, District maintenance crews check the creeks, remove debris from trash racks and ensure pump stations are functioning properly.
Flood District staff will be posting maintenance updates to the Tam Valley neighborhoods via Next Door in fall. For questions email Marin County Flood Control District.
Top 5 ways to protect yourself and your property:
- Don’t rake leaves into the street, please use your green container. Leaves and yard debris left in the street will clog street drains and cause localized flooding.
- Clean out the drainage structures on your property, such as rain gutters and drain grates. Do this in advance of a storm and in a safe manner, don’t wait for the rain to start falling.
- Register with Alert Marin to received urgent news and notifications during emergency situations. Resources: https://www.marinsheriff.org/services/emergency-services/alert-marin
- Stay informed by listening/watching local news from reliable news sources.
- Have an emergency “Go Bag” ready at all times, so that you can be prepared to evacuate quickly and safely. This should include knowing your potential evacuation routes. Resources: https://firesafemarin.org/prepare-yourself/