Proposed Santa Venetia Floodwall Project

(Project was previously titled the Proposed Santa Venetia Levee Upgrade Project)

The Marin County Flood Control District is proposing a project to build a new floodwall along the top of an existing earthen levee in the Santa Venetia community – a low-lying area near San Pablo Bay. This new structure would reduce the risk of flooding during 100-year storm events – severe floods that have a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. This public safety project would reduce flood risk for 576 households in the Santa Venetia neighborhood.  

Currently, a timber-reinforced berm (TRB) and earthen levee sit behind homes on Vendola Drive, forming the main line of defense against high tides and flooding. While the system has provided protection for decades since its installation in 1983, the timber structure is deteriorating. Combined with the ongoing effects of rising sea levels and subsiding ground, the existing flood barriers are no longer considered reliable enough to protect the community during major storm events and high tides.  

In 2022, the original project scope was revised after cost estimates exceeded available funding. A new engineering firm was hired in July 2022 to develop a more feasible design.   

The recommended design was brought to the Board of Supervisors in March 2023. It consists of a composite sheet pile floodwall extending approximately 1.5 miles along Gallinas Creek, behind 111 properties in Santa Venetia.  

The Flood Control District has reviewed the engineering firm’s work throughout the design process and has periodically shared progress updates with the community. Updates were provided at public meetings on July 27 and September 14, 2022, as well as during the Flood Zone 7 Advisory Board meeting on October 13, 2022.  

A map of the proposed project can be found here. An elevation map of the area’s floodplain can be found here.   

To learn more about Gallinas Creek dredging and its relationship to the Proposed Santa Venetia Floodwall Project, please review the Santa Venetia dredging update and the County Service Area 6 webpage.  

Timeline

The Proposed Santa Venetia Floodwall Project is currently funded through the design phase, which is nearly complete.  

Following is an updated project schedule as of May 2025, which highlights current project status and what will come next. This timeline is subject to change dependent upon available funding.  

• FUNDED
  • ENVIRONMENTAL: The CEQA Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration will be updated this summer and finalized as soon as late 2025. This document will explain the project’s potential impacts and show how any significant effects can be reduced or avoided. 
  • DESIGN: The final design is complete pending any minor changes that may occur during project permitting and easement acquisition.
• NOT CURRENTLY FUNDED
  • RIGHT-OF-WAY: Easement needs are being re-evaluated in summer 2025 to align with the current project design. Funding has not yet been identified to pursue easement acquisition.  
  • CONSTRUCTION: Funding has not been secured to pursue construction at this time.  

Funding

The estimated implementation cost is $24 million. A FEMA grant application was submitted in 2024, but the program was canceled by the federal government in early 2025. The application is being migrated over to a different FEMA grant program that has not considered grant awards of this size in California in the past. Even if successful, FEMA grants require a 25% local match. The District is actively seeking local, state and federal funding sources to allow the project to advance. This includes a request for $3M in Congressional Directed Spending which made it on the list being considered by Congress next year. For additional funding needs, the District intends to prepare a finance plan as soon as December 2025. 

Zone

Zone 7: Santa Venetia