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Are You Prepared for a
Flood?
The City of East Palo Alto has created this webpage to
provide local residents with information and resources to
prepare for future floods. East Palo Alto has experienced
numerous floods in its history that have caused substantial
property damage. Most recently, in 1998, a major flood event
damaged millions of dollars of property, forced the evacuation
of hundreds of people and forced the closure of major
thoroughfares such as the Bayshore Freeway, University Avenue,
Willow Road, Clarke Avenue and Woodland Avenue. In 1972, tidal
flood waters completely submerged streets in the University
Village neighborhood. In 1989, a flood event put Bell Street
Park underwater. It is critical to remember that the City of
East Palo Alto, being located adjacent to San Francisquito
Creek and San Francisco Bay, is subject to major flood events.
In the future, flooding may occur from events such as overflow
of San Francisquito Creek and levee failure along the
baylands. Being prepared is your best defense against such
events.
Flood Zones
It is a good idea to determine whether your
property is located in an area that is subject to flooding.
You can determine if your property is located in the flood
zone by visiting the FEMA Map Service Center at http://msc.fema.gov/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/FemaWelcomeView?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1
or by navigating to the City's GIS page at www.epagis.com and selecting
the checkbox titled "FEMA-1999". For more assistance, you can
also contact the East Palo Alto Engineering Division at
650.853.3189.
Flood Insurance
Flooding is not covered by a standard homeowner's insurance
policy. A separate flood insurance policy is required to cover
damages incurred by flooding. Coverage is available for
the building itself as well as for the contents of the
building. The City of East Palo Alto participates in the
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) that makes available
federally backed flood insurance for all structures, whether
or not they are located within the floodplain. Note that
there is a 30-day waiting period before coverage goes into
effect. For more information, contact your insurance agency.
You can also get more information from the FEMA website at http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip
Elevation Certificates
The City of East Palo Alto maintains records of all
elevation certificates that have been created for properties
within the City. Contact the City's Building Division at
650.853.3129 for more information.
Local Floodplain
Regulations
The City's floodplain regulations are outlined within
Chapter 15.52 of the East Palo Alto Municipal Code http://www.ci.east-palo-alto.ca.us/municode.html
and Chapter 35 of the East Palo Alto Zoning Ordinance http://www.ci.east-palo-alto.ca.us/EPA%20Zoning%20Regs%20-%202003%20Edition.pdf.
Protecting Your Home
If the floor level of your property is lower than the "Base
Flood Elevation" (elevation of the 100-year flood, based on
the FEMA maps), consider elevating your structure, if
possible. Resources are available for free from the FEMA
website to assist: FEMA's Homeowner's Guide to
Retrofitting: Six Ways to Protect Your House from Flooding http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?fromSearch=fromsearch&id=1420
and
Above the Flood: Elevating Your Floodprone House, and
Repairing Your Flooded Home http://www.fema.gov/library/resultFemaNumber.do;jsessionid=376A58230B795A125170049736BABE42.WorkerLibrary
All development within the city requires a permit.
Always check and fulfill permitting requirements with the
Building Division at (650) 853-3129 and the Planning Division
at (650) 853-3185 before you build on, alter, fill, or
re-grade on any portion of your property and/or within any
easement or right-of-way. Also, contact either of the
numbers above to report any suspected permitting
violations.
If a flood is imminent, property can be protected by
sandbagging areas subject to the entry of water into living
spaces. The East Palo Alto Maintenance Division has
sandbags available for pickup at the City Corporation Yard
located at 150 Tara Road.
Improvement Requirements
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requires that
if the cost of reconstruction, additions, or other
improvements to a building equals or exceeds 50% of the
building's market value, then the building must meet the same
construction requirements as a new building.
Substantially damaged buildings must also be brought up to the
same standards. For example, a residence damaged so that
the cost of repairs equals or exceeds 50% of the building's
value before it was damaged must be elevated above the base
flood elevation. Please contact the Building Division at
(650) 853-3129 for more information.
Drainage Maintenance
Dumping is prohibited in the City's flood control system.
Blockages in the City's flood control system could result in
major flood damage. The City of East Palo Alto performs
cleaning and maintenance activities on the drainage channels
and pipes in City easements & rights-of-way in accordance
with an established schedule and other standard operating
procedures. Residents are encouraged to assist in maintaining
the drainage in their areas by removing or reporting
obstructions (such as shopping carts, leaves, debris, trash,
etc.). Keeping drainage channels free of obstructions reduces
flooding in the event of heavy rains. By way of City
ordinance, it is illegal to dump trash, leaves, landscape
debris, paint, grease, or any other material into any portion
of the City's drainage system. Such dumping can have
devastating impacts on water quality in addition to causing
flooding. To report obstructions or illegal dumping, or
for questions regarding drainage system maintenance, please
contact the Public Works Department at (650) 853-3189.
The City's regulations pertaining to drainage maintenance are
located in Sections 13.12.020, 13.12.030, 13.12.070 of the
East Palo Alto Municipal Code http://www.ci.east-palo-alto.ca.us/municode.html.
Safety Tips Before a
Flood
Keep emergency supplies. Non-perishable
food, water, batteries, flashlights, a manual can opener, and
a battery-operated radio should be kept available. Keep a
supply of sandbags on hand. Plywood, plastic sheeting and
lumber can be used to protect your property. Sandbags cannot
be stored for a long time because burlap bags filled with sand
or dirt will rot. Sandbags must be filled immediately before
or during a storm. Sandbags should only be half full of sand
and it is important to note that sandbags will not completely
seal out water.
Prepare an evacuation plan. Learn the
safest route to high, safe ground if you have to evacuate in a
hurry. Decide on a place where your family can meet during and
after a flood.
Safety Tips During a
Flood
Tune-in to local commercial radio or television
stations, including: KCBS - AM 740, KGO - AM 810,
KSJX - AM 1500 (Vietnamese), KQED - FM 88.5, KSOL - FM 98.9
(Spanish), KSJO - FM 92, and KZST - FM 100.1 to listen for
warning bulletins and any corresponding emergency
instructions. The City will order or advise evacuations if
conditions warrant this action. If evacuations are
called for, it is imperative that you follow instructions in
the time frame noted. The Office of Emergency Services
facilitates the alert systems for San Mateo County. East Palo
Alto is included. Currently we have a telephone system and a
text messaging system. SMCAlert (Roam) is a county wide alert
system that text messages information to cell phones, pagers,
e-mail and handheld devices. To sign up to receive these
notifications, please go to the SMCAlert website at https://www.smcalert.info.
Avoid flood waters. Be cautious. Flood
waters rise rapidly, so be prepared to evacuate before flood
waters reach your property. If dangerous flooding conditions
are imminent, avoid driving a vehicle if possible. 6" of water
will reach the bottom of passenger cars and will cause the
loss of control or stalling. A foot of water will float most
vehicles. Two feet of rushing water will carry away most
vehicles, including trucks and SUVs. If you are in a
stalled car, abandon it as quickly as possible. Flood waters
can rise quickly and sweep a car away. Many deaths have
occurred from attempts to move stalled vehicles. Do not
attempt to drive or wade through deep pockets of water. If you
are caught by suddenly rising waters, move to the second
floor, or the roof if necessary. Take warm clothing, a radio
and flashlight with you. Wait for help. Do not swim for
safety. Rescue teams will be looking for you.
Avoid low-lying areas. If outside,
look for higher ground. Seek shelter in the highest areas
possible. Unstable banks should be avoided.
Disable Utilities. If your property is in
imminent danger of flooding, please contact PG&E to
request that your power and natural gas be shut off, or for
guidance on how to do it yourself. Turn off utilities at
the main power switch and close the main gas valve. Do not
touch any electrical equipment unless it is in a dry area and
you are standing on a piece of dry wood while wearing rubber
gloves and rubber soled boots or shoes.
Ensure that you have a safe source of drinking water. Fill
bathtubs, sinks and jugs with clean water in case regular
supplies are contaminated. You can sanitize these items by
first rinsing with bleach
The Natural and Beneficial Functions
of Floodplains
Floodplains are a natural component of the
environment. Understanding and protecting the natural
functions of floodplains helps reduce flood damage and protect
resources. When flooding spreads out across the floodplain,
its energy is dissipated, which results in lower flood flows
downstream, deposition of sediments higher in the watershed
and improved groundwater recharge. Floodplains are scenic,
valued wildlife habitat, and suitable for farming. Poorly
planned development in floodplains can lead to erosion, loss
of valuable property, increased risk of flooding to downstream
properties and degradation of water quality. For more
information about the natural and beneficial functions of
floodplains, review the FEMA publication "Protecting
Floodplain Resources" by clicking on the following link: http://www.fema.gov/library/resultFemaNumber.do.
Other Resources
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