Proposed
SANTA VENETIA
LEVEE UPGRADE PROJECT
UPDATES
SEPTEMBER 2022
“Save the Date: Flood Control Zone 7 Advisory Board Meeting"
Event Date: Thursday, October 13, 2022
Time: 6:00PM – 7:30PM
Location: Marin County Civic Center
Board of Supervisors Chambers - Suite 330
3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael 94903
Meeting materials coming soon.
Attention Gallinas Creek Property Owners
Those of you wishing a meeting with the District’s engineering consultant, CSW|ST2, to discuss flood barrier design concerns unique to their property, please email your request to floodinquiry@marincounty.org.
This opportunity will end after September 30, 2022.
Information about the CSA-6 Gallinas Creek Dredging Project is linked here
SEPTEMBER 14, 2022
Flood Zone 7 Meeting on September 14
On Wednesday, September 14, from 6PM to 8PM, the Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District will host a Flood Control Zone 7 meeting. Staff and their engineering consultant will review engineering design options for the Santa Venetia levee flood barrier along Gallinas Creek. The design team will share their recommendations and findings. We are looking for your feedback.
Agenda and Presentation
JULY 27, 2022
“SAVE THE DATE – Flood Zone 7 Meeting on July 27”
On Wednesday, July 27, from 6pm to 8pm, the Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District will host a Flood Control Zone 7 meeting. Staff will review the scope and timeline to develop a new engineering design for the Santa Venetia levee flood barrier along Gallinas Creek. The design team will share their initial concepts and the process for selecting a design that works best for the community. We are looking for your feedback.
Please note that this is a “Save the Date” notice.
AGENDA: Click Here
This is the first of three public meetings to support the engineering design process.
JULY 7, 2022
Design Phase Planned for Levee Project
Flood Control District seeks revised design and new funding for construction
At its July 12 public session, the Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors will consider awarding a $617,549 contract for engineering design services to develop a design for the Santa Venetia Levee Upgrade Project along Gallinas Creek. The project was put on pause in March 2022 following a cost estimate that exceeded available funding.
Full news release here.
June 2022
Flood Control Zone 7 Advisory Board Meeting
Event Date: June 21, 2022
Time: 6:30PM - 8:00PM
Location: Marin County Civic Center
Board of Supervisors Chambers - Suite 330
3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael 94903
Click here for meeting materials.
MAY 1, 2022
The District is currently accepting Request for Qualifications (RFQ) / Request for Proposals (RFP) submittals for an engineering consultant to complete the Gallinas Creek flood barrier engineering and design. The goal is to complete design so that the project is eligible for future FEMA grant funding. The barrier design must provide tidal flooding protection for at least 30 years including sea level rise. Because the project is largely located on private residential properties and adjacent to sensitive habitat, the project also needs to minimize disturbance to neighboring residents and endangered species.
RFQ/RFP Schedule to Contract Approval
RFQ/RFP Posted Thursday, April 28, 2022
Proposals Due 4:30 PM, Friday, May 27, 2022
Contract Approval by BOS Tuesday, July 19, 2022
APRIL 1, 2022
The District is working intensively on the next steps to advance the Santa Venetia Levee project, the most recent official announcement of project status is contained in the March 1 news release found here.
As part of our work, we’ve been drafting a solicitation seeking an engineering consultant to perform value engineering, and final design while also identifying funding sources compatible with contemporary construction costs.
MARCH 1, 2022
Eminent Domain Hearing Canceled for Levee Project
Flood Control District is pausing Santa Venetia project to evaluate cost increase
San Rafael, CA – The Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District has canceled its March 15 District Board of Supervisors meeting at which the use of eminent domain would have been considered as part of upgrading the levee system along Gallinas Creek.
Newly revised cost estimates for the flood mitigation project are more than twice the prior cost estimate for the levee improvement construction work. Initial assessment points to recent changes in the project design to address levee seepage as well as overall increased construction industry variables, such as labor and material shortages, supply chain issues and general inflation.
More information on this action can be found in this press release.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2021
On Tuesday, August 24, 2021, the Marin County Board of Supervisors designated $1 million for the Santa Venetia Levee Upgrade Project. These funds are available through a package of one-time expenditures made possible by the federal American Rescue Plan stimulus funding as well as increased state funding for counties resulting from increased state tax revenue collections. More information on this action can be found in this press release.
The project to improve and update the Santa Venetia neighborhood’s perimeter levee system is one important project benefiting from the one-time expenditures. The levee system, which was built almost 40 years ago, was intended to protect the neighborhood from tidal flooding, but is now deteriorating and in need of improvements. The goal is to (1) protect the neighborhood from 100-year water surface elevation on the Bay with structural levee improvements and (2) reduce future maintenance costs by acquiring easements along the Timber-Reinforced Berm (TRB).
The current design will have structural improvements that will replace the existing TRB one to three feet taller with a durable wood-composite material that will not require replacement until approximately 2050. The new structure will be more deeply anchored, thereby improving its ability to hold back high tides. The levee crown will be raised to a consistent height above the base (100-year) flood elevation. The location of the improved TRB will be roughly the same footprint as existing, however some locations that do not currently have a wooden box structure will have one built on top of the existing levee.
In addition to reconstructing the levee, this project will purchase easements along the levee behind over 100 homes to facilitate and ensure its future maintenance. The Marin County Real Estate Division has begun meeting with homeowners. The schedule for construction is contingent on the District securing additional grant funds from FEMA.
To stay abreast of the Levee Upgrade Project and other Zone 7 topics, join the email list by clicking ‘Stay Connected with Zone 7’ on the Gallinas Creek watershed page.