Pleasanton Declares Local Emergency, Reports At Least 7 Downed Trees

PLEASANTON, CA — Crews responded to a number of clogged storm drains and drainage ditches that caused localized flooding in numerous private properties, the city said.

On Tuesday, 0.46 inches of rain are expected to fall over six hours, and gusts are expected to reach up to 28 mph. There is also a 29 percent chance of thunderstorms, according to Accuweather. As of 6 p.m. Tuesday, a total of 1.82 inches fell in Dublin over 24 hours, and 1.11 inches fell in Livermore.

Augustin Bernal Park may be closed for several weeks as crews work to repair damage, the city said. Centennial Trail is closed from Rotary Park to Harvest Circle, likely through the end of the week, and the north side of the Arroyo Mocho trail from Hopyard Road to the Arroyo de la Laguna is closed due to erosion and undermining of the trail, with an unspecified end date.

A number of streets in Alameda County remain closed, including Niles Canyon Road between Old Canyon Road and Main Street, Kilkare Road and Foothill Road. Alameda County Office of Emergency Services continued to recommend anyone who lived in the area to leave their homes Sunday. Anyone who needs information on evacuation centers can call 211 or visit acgov.org.

Pleasanton elementary school students returned to school Monday, and spent the entire day indoors. Middle and high school students return Tuesday. PUSD spokesperson Patrick Gannon said that the district is working to address roof leaks “here and there”, including at the district office, and is collaborating with the city to identify a site for emergency shelter.

Other districts around the Bay Area closed, including Rohnert Park, and Pajaro Valley Unified in Watsonville. The storm hit the Central Coast particularly hard: Evacuation orders were issued in Santa Cruz County for residents living near rapidly rising rivers and creeks. The San Lorenzo River was declared at flood stage, and video on social media showed a neighborhood flooded with muddy water almost reaching to a stop sign. Officials warned mudslides and flooding were blocking roads and urged residents to stay home.
In Sonoma County, residents of the Russian River area remained on evacuation warning should the river reach flood stage this week.

In Petaluma in southern Sonoma County, a flood advisory was issued for residents of the Leisure Lake Mobile Home Park. Police said residents of the area should consider evacuating now due to road closures.

Napa County reported multiple flooded roadways Monday morning, and flooding closed state Highway 37 in Marin County.

President Joe Biden issued an emergency declaration Monday for California to support storm response and relief efforts in 16 counties including Napa, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Placer, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Mateo, Stanislaus and Ventura.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said 12 people died as a result of violent weather during the past 10 days, and he warned that this week’s storms could be even more dangerous. He urged people to stay home.

The first of the newest, heavier storms prompted the weather service to issue a flood watch for a large swath of Northern and Central California. Since Dec. 26, San Francisco received more than 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain, while Mammoth Mountain, a popular ski area in the Eastern Sierra, got nearly 10 feet (3 meters) of snow, the National Weather Service reported.

The storms won’t be enough to officially end California’s ongoing drought, but they have helped. State Climatologist Michael Anderson said at a weekend news briefing that officials were closely monitoring Monday’s storm and another behind it and were keeping an eye on three other systems farther out in the Pacific.

Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, said Californians can expect to see a break in the rain after Jan. 18.

"That is my best guess right now, which is good because it will give the rivers in Northern California, and now in Central California, a chance to come down," he said.
Sandbags are available at the City’s Operations Services Department at 3333 Busch Road.

The Alameda County Public Works Agency also has sandbags available at their Maintenance and Operations Corporation Yard at 4825 Gleason Drive. Zone 7 Water Agency is also offering pre-filled sandbags at the Parkside Administrative Building on 5997 Parkside Drive.

For a full list of storm safety tips, local contacts, and closures, visit the city’s Storm Update page. See here for further resources, tips, and useful contact information.

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

To report flooding, damage, or other hazards, call the Pleasanton Operation Services Department at 925-931-550 during business hours, 925-931-5100 after-hours, or email osd@cityofpleasantonca.gov.

To report downed power or electrical lines, contact PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.

— Patch editor Maggie Fusek , The Associated Press and Bay City News contributed to this reportcontributed to this report.