Coastal flooding impacts Bay Area as tide advisory continues

The flooding, which has persisted for at least seven consecutive days, is expected to continue until 6 p.m. Sunday in the San Pablo, San Francisco, and Monterey bays. Authorities are urging residents to avoid driving around barricades or through standing water.

Residents have described the recent high tides as some of the most severe they’ve experienced. “This is one of the highest tides I’ve ever seen. I’ve been here since 1976,” said Suzi Beatie, a Corte Madera resident.

The current situation is attributed, in part, to a stronger-than-usual El Niño season, which is combining with winter storm surges to elevate sea levels. Aerial footage revealed flooded roads, backyards, and even a portion of a football field, with some navigating the inundated streets by bicycle and car.

In Sausalito, a parking lot near the houseboats was completely submerged, and a flower delivery van required assistance after stalling in the floodwaters. Public works crews are working continuously to deploy sandbags in an effort to mitigate the impact.

“The sandbaging has been really effective it’s slowed the rush and flow of water,” stated Fletcher Irwin, a Larkspur resident.

Marin County, particularly vulnerable due to its location, is bracing for potentially more significant flooding. County officials aim to have approximately 45,000 sandbags available in the coming weeks. “This is just kind of a predecessor of what’s to come. We’re expecting the first major King Tides the week of Thanksgiving so we’re doing all this work to get ahead of that to prepare to minimize damage to property,” explained Michael Frost, the county’s assistant director of public works.

Marin County has declared an El Niño emergency, and several communities, including Corte Madera, Larkspur, and Tiburon, have issued similar declarations to facilitate resource allocation and potential state and federal aid. Some homeowners are considering long-term solutions, with one Mariner Cove resident planning to elevate his home by roughly 3 feet. “It takes the worry out of getting flooded,” Jason Brodersen told ABC 7.