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Corte Madera outlines 2025 flood-control projects, maintenance priorities and traffic-control plan for King Tides
Summary
Staff described a package of 2025 projects including short-term pump-station repairs, gravity drain replacements, storm-drain cleaning, and a multi-year Shorebird Marsh pump-station replacement; staff also proposed staged traffic-control signage and volunteer deployment for recurring King Tide closures.
Corte Madera Town staff briefed the Flood Control Board on a set of near-term projects and operational measures intended to reduce flood risk and improve system reliability.
Chris (town staff, interim candidate for department leadership) presented the slate and cost estimates. “Starting this year, we're trying to get four projects going and potentially one more,” he said, listing short-term pump-station repairs, gravity-storm-drain replacements, proactive storm-drain maintenance (cleaning and CCTV), and Shorebird Marsh pump-station replacement; a fifth project — open-channel maintenance/dredging — may require environmental permits and move later in the schedule.
Project highlights and budgets provided by staff: - Short-term pump-station repair project: design underway; engineers recommended replacing cathodic protection, pump controllers and adding backup level sensors to avoid single-point failures. The engineering recommendation’s total cost was cited at about $1,900,000; staff expects to split work across two fiscal years and refine the final bid price. - Gravity storm-drain replacement: staff has a $1,000,000 budget and has identified multiple priority locations (Hart Street, Palm Ave, Sonora Way, Corvair Ave, Chapman, Stetson, Montecito, Pfeiffer) and capacity projects such as Pixley equalizer connections and Key Largo culvert replacements. Many pipes are corrugated metal at or near failure, raising sinkhole risk. - Storm-drain maintenance and CCTV: staff budgeted about $200,000 to proactively clean and CCTV lines starting in May; disposal of removed sediment is constrained by testing and landfill acceptance rules and increases costs. - Shorebird Marsh pump station: a multi-year replacement estimated at about $8,000,000 because of marsh and environmental permitting complexity; the station now uses diesel pumps and has corrosion issues.
Operational and permitting constraints: Staff described regulatory and handling constraints for removed sediment (testing, dewatering and landfill acceptance) and identified a temporary staging area on Paradise for sediment dewatering and testing. Board members suggested outreach to reduce landscape mulch and debris that commonly enters drains and to explore shared disposal solutions with nearby jurisdictions.
Traffic-control plan for King Tides and localized flooding: Staff proposed deploying “road closed to thru traffic” signage for predictable King Tide events so delivery traffic will detour while local residents can access homes. The board discussed deputizing trained neighborhood volunteers to place signs when public-works crews are occupied during storms; staff said signs could be staged near the Golden Hind sanitary pump station and training provided for volunteers.
Interjurisdictional coordination and follow-ups: Staff noted coordination with BayWaVE and BACAN for regional sea-level planning and said the town, Larkspur and Marin County have applied for a planning grant (RAMP/R3 funds) to study a corridor from San Clemente Park to the boardwalk.
Ending: Staff said design work and procurement will proceed in 2025 as budgets and permitting allow; the board encouraged public outreach on sediment sources and volunteer-supported traffic control for recurring localized flooding.
