The recent compound flooding and severe storms, bringing rainfall, high winds, and severe flooding throughout Marin County have prompted an emergency proclamation from the County of Marin.
County Executive Derek Johnson, acting as the County’s Director of Emergency Services, ordered the proclamation January 13 and cited conditions of extreme peril that resulted from storms and tidal surges that began January 3. A copy of the proclamation was sent to Governor Gavin Newsom through the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).
The proclamation stated that, starting January 3, Marin and several municipalities experienced a “compound, multi-hazard flooding incident resulting from the convergence of a severe storm system, precipitation-driven riverine runoff, storm surge, high winds, and record king tides.” This convergence caused widespread coastal and inland flooding and levee failures, causing inundation of structures, road closures, utility disruption, landslides, hazardous materials releases, and displacement of residents, with residual impacts anticipated to be found beyond January 13.
An emergency proclamation is an official request for assistance from Cal OES and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and allows the County to apply for federal and state aid to help pay for qualifying repairs. The County and the other municipalities and special districts mentioned in the proclamation are seeking financial assistance following the assessment of damages and estimating the costs of infrastructure repairs.
County staff are continuing to finalize cost details; preliminary damage estimates for the County’s unincorporated areas and County-deployed resources total approximately $3.5 million in combined losses and expenses. These estimates include:
- $2.6 million in private and public damage to levee infrastructure within the Santa Venetia neighborhood;
- $500,000 in damage to roads and bridges countywide;
- $420,000 in damage to parks and recreation lands and facilities;
- $32,000 in costs associated with debris collection and removal;
- $64,000 in overtime labor and other emergency protective measures within the County organization.
Cities, towns, and special districts within Marin also experienced significant flooding impacts. Most notably, the cities of Larkspur and Sausalito and the Town of Corte Madera sustained damage along with the Ross Valley Sanitation District. All were cited in the County proclamation.
The preliminary damage estimates among the filing agencies was $850,000 in damages, including:
- $220,000 in losses to public buildings and equipment;
- $50,000 in debris collection and removal costs;
- $34,500 in staff overtime and emergency protective measures;
- $300,000 in damage to roads and bridges.
That brought the estimated total storm-related impacts within Marin’s geographical boundaries to approximately $4.35 million.
From December 18 to January 6, Marin received 10-15 inches of rain. In the final days of the heavy rainfall, king tides surged about 2.5 feet above normal, according to the National Weather Service. The combination of heavy rain and elevated tides resulted in flooding of low-lying roads, prompting temporary closures of various primary highways across the County.
The Marin County Board of Supervisors’ first meeting of the new calendar year is scheduled for January 20. Johnson will ask the Board to ratify the proclamationat that time. The Marin County Code allows the County Executive to make an emergency proclamation if the Board is not in session. State law dictates that the requesting governing body shall review the need for continuing the local emergency at least once every 60 days.
Those who live or work in Marin are urged to register for AlertMarin, to receive local emergency notifications Signing up for AlertMarin ensures you receive real-time updates during critical incidents. For additional resources and tips about how you can get prepared ahead of the next emergency, visit ReadyMarin.org.
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