Local Emergency Declared Until Jan. 11 In Livermore

LIVERMORE, CA — The worst rains cleared up Thursday afternoon in Livermore, though a Flood Warning was extended from 3:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Pleasanton and the Tri-Valley can expect a dry Friday before rains pick up again Saturday and Sunday. The next atmospheric rivers should bring about 2-3 inches, according to a briefing from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Wednesday.

On Wednesday evening, the city’s director of emergency services declared a Local Emergency set to expire Jan. 11 unless the City Council chooses to continue it. The Local Emergency, similar to one declared in Danville, allows the city greater flexibility in responding to storms and accessing state and federal resources.

Wednesday night’s atmospheric river left behind several flooded and closed streets full of storm debris. As of 5 p.m. Thursday, Livermore recorded a 24-hour total 0.69 inches of rain.

Numerous downed trees were reported throughout the city, including two trees at Rincon Avenue and Sunset Drive, and at Concannon Boulevard and Barcelona Street. The trees were cleared and roadways reopened.

Crews also responded to a blown street transformer at Brighton Way and Troy Street that caused multiple light outages, though power was quickly restored, the city said.
The city also said that it was able to provide hotel rooms for 20 unsheltered residents in partnership with CityServe of the Tri-Valley. Ahead of the storm, the city’s homeless liaison officers warned people living along creeks that they needed to evacuate, and worked with them to find temporary shelter.

In Pleasanton, Foothill Road is closed from Bernal Avenue to Kilkare Road, and Happy Valley Road is closed from Pleasanton-Sunol Road to Alisal Street. East Bay Regional Parks remained closed Thursday, though the agency said some may reopen Friday depending on conditions. Sycamore Grove Park and Arroyo Mocho Trail from Robertson Park to Stanley Boulevard remain closed.

See here for more closures, according to the Alameda County Public Works Agency.

Sporadic outages affecting a single customer were reported in Livermore throughout Thursday, though on Wednesday 1907 customers living around Pleasanton Sports Park lost power for a few hours.

In San Ramon, 380 PG&E customers living in an area east of 680 between Greenbrook and El Capitan drives lost power from 9:41 p.m. Wednesday well into Thursday morning, one of the largest outages in the Tri-Valley.

Along the coast, it was a different story. At the height of the storm, nearly 100,000 PG&E customers were without power. As of 3:30 p.m. Thursday, thousands of customers throughout the Peninsula, North Bay, and around Berkeley and Oakland are still without power.

The largest Tri-Valley evacuations came in Sunol. Residents along Kilkare Road, Palomares Road, and Niles Canyon Road were asked to leave their homes Wednesday, according to the Alameda County Office of Emergency Services. The Sunol Glen School, just west of 680 and south Pleasanton Ridge Park, sustained significant damage when Sinbad Creek burst Saturday night and damaged three classrooms, two offices, the garden, the athletic track, and the playground, Sunol Glen Superintendent Molleen Barnes told Danville-San Ramon.

Sandbag stations are being replenished at several locations throughout Livermore:

• Maintenance Service Center - 3500 Robertson Park Road (limit 6 bags per household)
• Fire Station 6 - 4550 East Avenue (limit 6 bags per household)
• Fire Station 8 - 5750 Scenic Avenue (limit 6 bags per household)
• Zone 7 Water Agency - 100 North Canyons Parkway (limit 10 bags per household)

Report flooding to Water Resources at 925-960-8160, or the Livermore Police Department at 925-371-4987. Downed trees and power lines can also be reported to the police department, or to 911.

If you know of anyone experiencing homelessness, contact CityServe of the Tri-Valley 925-222-2273 (CARE), or email connect@cityservecares.org.

For a full list of closures, storm safety tips, and contact information, visit the City of Livermore’s storm update page.

To receive local emergency notifications, text your zip code to 888–777. For Alameda County notifications, sign up for AC Alerts here.

Do you have stories or photos from the storm? Email michael.wittner@patch.com.