UPDATE: Historic flooding has struck Marin County, causing chaos in low-lying coastal areas as a combination of king tides and a winter storm surge wreaks havoc. As of Saturday, October 14, 2023, major thoroughfares, including Highway 101 near Lucky Drive, were completely submerged, leaving commuters stranded for hours.
The flooding escalated as the tide peaked just before noon, resulting in the complete closure of eastbound Highway 37. By 2:30 PM, water levels receded slightly on Highway 101, allowing limited passage for vehicles. However, nearby businesses and residential neighborhoods in Corte Madera and Larkspur faced severe flooding, marking a distressing second day of inundation.
Laine Hendricks, a spokeswoman for the county, confirmed, “We are seeing a significant amount of flooding throughout the county,” highlighting critical areas like the Canal neighborhood in San Rafael and North San Pedro Road in Santa Venetia.
1,500 homes in parts of Tiburon and Marin City lost power for several hours. Flood-prone locations, including the Gate 5 neighborhood in northern Sausalito and the park and ride lot under Highway 101, were heavily affected and closed off by police.
“Main Street was closed yesterday, and our businesses and restaurants experienced a power outage due to flooding,” said Councilmember Holli Thier from Tiburon, emphasizing the ongoing struggles.
By 4 PM, further assessments revealed the extent of the damage. Belvedere Mayor Sally Wilkinson reported that Beach Road, connecting the island to downtown Tiburon, was nearly breached, with bay waters inches from the road surface. “The inbound lanes of Tiburon Boulevard were completely covered in water,” she stated.
In the Santa Venetia neighborhood, floodwaters damaged the levee near Vendola Drive, although the breach was not deemed catastrophic. Hendricks mentioned that public works crews are actively working on immediate repairs.
“It’s flooding on the other side of 101,” said Sarah Canson, a member of the community services district board in Marin City, praising the county’s emergency alert system, Nixle, for keeping residents informed about the outages and road closures.
Police issued repeated alerts regarding road closures around Highway 101, Lucky Drive, Doherty Drive, and Fifer Avenue, as emergency services worked tirelessly to assist affected residents.
Sausalito Mayor Steven Woodside noted that bay waters reached Bridgeway, the city’s main thoroughfare. Fortunately, high winds did not create significant waves that could push water further inland.
According to Brayben Murdoch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, king tides exceeding seven feet combined with a storm surge from an atmospheric river caused the flooding. “The high tide comes in, it overflows certain areas, and when low tide returns, the water doesn’t have an opportunity to go back,” he explained.
Looking ahead, Murdoch indicated that Sunday will see less severe conditions with a high tide of 6.92 feet expected. However, pockets of floodwaters could linger for several days, making recovery challenging for already inundated areas.
“We’ll have to anticipate closing some roads tomorrow, depending on how conditions develop, especially with the ground saturated,” warned Mill Valley Police Sgt. David Kollerer.
This ongoing situation remains fluid, and authorities urge residents to remain cautious and stay updated through official channels. The community is rallying to support affected families as they navigate these unprecedented challenges.
Residents are encouraged to share updates and stay informed about road conditions and emergency services through local news outlets and social media.
