"Larkspur was just one of the communities caught off guard last week as atmospheric river storms teamed up with king tides and southerly winds. The forces sent sea water surging into homes, schools and businesses, swallowed up parking lots and streets and clogged county transportation corridors. Schwarz, appearing before the Larkspur City Council on Wednesday, described the events that unfolded as the first disaster-level response in which the county's Office of Emergency Management took charge and guided us. It was very impressive, he said."
"He then turned to Public Works Director Julian Skinner, who recounted how residential and commercial areas lining the mouth of Corte Madera Creek were swamped four days in a row. At its worst, the bay water breached levees, thwarted pumps and drainage, flooded homes and businesses and created a new foot-deep body of water and shoreline. The reckoning came on Jan. 3, when Highway 101 was closed in both directions in Larkspur and Corte Madera, bringing traffic to a halt on the highway."
Marin agencies implemented preparatory and coordinated measures and monitored storm predictions but were overwhelmed when tidal surges exceeded eight feet. Atmospheric river storms combined with king tides and southerly winds drove bay water inland, inundating homes, schools, businesses, parking lots and streets and clogging county transportation corridors. Residential and commercial areas at the mouth of Corte Madera Creek experienced four consecutive days of flooding, with breached levees, failed pumps and new shoreline formation. Highway 101 closed in both directions, forcing major local detours and traffic jams. The county Office of Emergency Management led a disaster-level response to manage the crisis.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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