Flood Control Infrastructure Maintenance

Programs & Services

Workers maintaining flood control channels

About Flood Control Channel Maintenance

The Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (ACFCD) helps protect residents and property from flooding through the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of flood control facilities such as natural creeks, channels, pipelines, pumps, and levees. ACFCD also works to prevent storm water pollution and educates citizens about actions they can take to create a healthier environment. 

Sediment excavated from channels is used to build or create wetlands to provide vital wildlife habitat. Other components of this maintenance program include:

  • Constructing levees to protect properties from the effects of climate change and sea level rise
  • Installing recreational trails on the tops of the levees
  • Ongoing studies to understand the effects of climate change and sea level rise on Alameda County

Channel Maintenance Program 

Safe, efficient, and sustainable flood control conveyance channels are essential to minimizing flood risk to public and private properties, and protecting habitat and water quality.  To this end, ACPWA channel maintenance program including desilting, debris removal, catch basin and trash capture device maintenance and erosion repair are designed to achieve the desired objectives. 

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Desilting
The removal of excess silt from channels, basins, aprons, and structures to maximize the flow capacity and storage yield of flood control channels.
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Debris Removal
The removal of trash and debris from channels, access roads, and flood control facilities to permit the channels to operate at maximum capacity.
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Catch Basin
The removal of trash and other deposited pollutants out of catch basins prevents localized flooding and protects downstream habitat.
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Trash Capture Device Clean-up
The removal of trash from full-trash capture devices that intercept and collect trash from several parts of the county’s unincorporated area before it would otherwise drain into the San Francisco Bay.

The County has two large in-line trash capture devices currently installed and draining large land areas of Ashland and Cherryland.  Device 1 is located in the Estudillo Canal at Washington Avenue and drains 1,600 acres of Ashland.  Device 2 is located in the storm drain line next to Meekland Avenue at San Lorenzo Creek and drains 433 acres of Cherryland. 

The County installed and maintains 37 small catch basin trash capture devices.  These devices are located in communities of San Lorenzo and Castro Valley and  drain a much smaller area (1-2 acres each).  In order to maintain compliance with the County’s Municipal Regional Stormwater Permit (MRP) trash reduction requirements, the Public Works Agency will be installing more trash capture devices in the County’s unincorporated area over the next few years. 

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Erosion Repair

The restoration of flood channel embankments impacted by erosion to their designed cross-sections thus protecting flood control assets, and minimize any potential flooding.