Residents describe repeated flooding on Powers Creek; restoration groups seek coordination, state funding and maintenance plan
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Summary
Resident Karina Green presented photos and testimony about repeated flooding at her home and neighborhood caused by altered drainage, sediment build‑up and blocked creek channels; restoration groups described multi‑million dollar project costs and urged coordinated grant applications (Prop 4, FRGP) and ongoing maintenance.
Resident Karina Green told the council she has documented repeated, severe flooding at her home and across the Broderick/Chartan area, pointing to roof runoff from nearby buildings, altered drainage where a new driveway diverts flow, and a compacted Gymkhana field that no longer absorbs stormwater. She described a breach in the creek bank where powerful sheet flow has swept water into her yard and pushed silt and debris into crawlspaces, causing property damage and ongoing stress.
Green urged the city to engage in ongoing maintenance of Powers Creek and to coordinate with restoration partners and state funding sources. “I hope we can put our heads together soon to take advantage of these public resources,” she said, referencing Proposition 4 funding and other state programs. She and volunteers have cleared obstructive vegetation in parts of the channel but said the scale of sedimentation under the pedestrian bridge and through the channel will require heavy equipment and coordinated, permitted restoration.
Dave Farrell of the Bottle Watershed Council (Mad River Alliance) said his organization has raised nearly $1 million for planning and submitted a $2.2 million Fisheries Restoration Grant application for a first phase that would still require additional funds — recent 100% design estimates placed phase‑one costs as high as $6 million until value‑engineering reduces scope. Farrell emphasized coordination: “If you walk up above the pedestrian bridge… there was a sheer off of that bank last winter,” he said, describing large volumes of gravel and sand accumulated in the channel. He urged the city to work with regional entities, align permit scopes and consolidate grant efforts so state agencies see a unified proposal.
Council and staff discussed immediate winter preparations (sandbag pallets, monitoring during storms), potential temporary emergency responses, and long‑term capital planning. Staff said they are pursuing contacts at CalFire, Department of Water Resources and regional planning groups to assemble scopes and permitting needs. Councilmembers suggested a focused stakeholder workshop or town hall that brings affected residents, restoration nonprofits and agency staff together to prioritize short‑term mitigations and coordinate grant applications.
