Storm Drain Master Plan
Adoption
(Relates to City Council SMART Activity #9)
October 5, 2026
Public Works Department
James Yang, PE, Senior Engineer
Jimmy Vo, PE, Engineering Manager
1 Agenda
• Recommendation for City Council
• Feedback Recap & Key Changes
• Background
• Master Plan Key Findings
• Marina Lagoon Pump Station
• Funding & Financing
• Public Engagement
• Next Steps
2 01 Recommendation for City Council 02 Feedback Recap & Key Changes 03 Background 04 Master Plan Key Findings
05 Marina Lagoon Pump Station 06 Public Engagement
07 Funding & Financing 08 Next Steps
Recommendation for City Council
3 STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve a
Resolution adopting the updated Storm Drain
Master Plan (SDMP)
Feedback Recap & Key Changes
JAN 2026 JUNE 2026 OCTOBER 2026
Council & Commission Feedback
• Recommended adoption
of the SDMP (June 10,
2026)
• Suggested simplified
executive summary
• Support $250,000/yr for localized
ponding
• Support strengthening private
development requirements
• Support keeping flood mapping
tool available long-term
Commission Feedback
• Simplified technical language in the
executive summary
• Updated construction cost estimates
• Incorporated SFPUC review comments
• Completed conceptual designs for “Very
High” priority projects
What Changed
4 OUTDATED PLANS LIMITED FUNDING RECENT STORM EVENTS
Background: Why a SDMP Update Was Needed
Implementation of
improvements was
limited by the lack of
dedicated funding
Recent 2022–23 storms
highlighted the need for
system improvements due
to flooding
The storm drain master
plan was lasted updated
in 2004
5 Background: Funding
6 COMMUNITY FLOOD & STORM
PROTECTION FEE
• Passed in November 2023
• Generates approximately $4
annually beginning in FY 24/25
• Storm Drain Master Plan Update
Cost — $1.2M
Background: Plan
Development
7 • Citywide condition
assessment of pipes,
channels, and pump stations
• Modeled the storm drain
system and calibrated
against record storm
• Evaluate 2050 and 2100
climate change scenarios
• Results led to a prioritized
capital improvement list
LiDAR Aerial Survey
Priority Number of
Projects
Estimated Cost
(in Millions)
Est. Cost w/o
MLPS (in Millions)
Very High 11 $148.3 $48.3
High 34 $25.3 $25.3
Medium 35 $26.6 $26.6
Low 58 $24.3 $24.3
Total: 138 $224.5 $124.5
Master Plan: Key
Findings
• Overall program cost reduced from roughly
$232.6M to $224.5M
• Marina Lagoon Pump Station long-term
improvements total approximately $100M
• Climate change will add further cost to the
CIP
8 138
Total projects identified citywide
11 “Very High” priority projects
recommended over next 10-15 years
$224.5M
Overall program cost
LiDAR Aerial Survey
Climate Change Cost Adder Amount
Recommended by 2050 $38.38M
Recommended by 2100 (additional) $10.67M
Total (per SDMP Table 7-14) $49.05M
Master Plan:
Climate Change
Resilience
9 MODEL SCENARIOS
• Model evaluated 2050 and
2100 scenarios: increased
storm intensity plus higher
tidal boundaries
• Most recommended CIP
projects remain resilient
beyond 2050
• San Mateo Creek are
unquantified due to the scale
of potential improvements
Increases in 72-hour Storm Precipitation
Storm 2050 2100
10-year +10% +30%
100-year +8% +20%
Increases in Extreme Tide Levels
2050 2100
Increase +0.8 ft +3.1 ft
Master Plan: Very High Priority Projects
10 Improvement Project Project Type Cost Improvement Type Marina Lagoon PS - Short-term Pump Station $7,250,000 Maintain Reliability Marina Lagoon PS - Long-term Pump Station $100,000,000 Increase Capacity - Climate Resiliency 4000 Pacific PS - Short-term Pump Station $960,000 Maintain Reliability 4000 Pacific PS - Long-term Pump Station $3,680,000 Increase Capacity Laurel Creek - Curtiss Bypass Creeks $4,650,000 Flood Reduction - FIRM Revision 16th Avenue Channel - Highway 101 Creeks $23,400,000 Increase Capacity Grant at Sunnybrae Pipes $430,000 Increase Capacity
42nd Ave Underpass Pipes $230,000 Increase Capacity
Newbridge Ave Pipes $2,250,000 Replacement Damaged Assets Norton Street Pipes $4,800,000 Increase Capacity - Reduce Maintenance Bettina-Kingridge Pipes $647,000 Replacement Damaged Assets 11 Flood Reduction/FIRM Revision
Increase Capacity
Pipe Replacement
Marina Lagoon PS LiDAR Aerial Survey
12 • City’s most critical flood
control facility
• Receives drainage from
75% of the City and
neighboring areas
• Over 40 years old and
due for major upgrades
• Improvements are
needed to enhance
climate resilience
Marina Lagoon PS: Short-Term Improvements
13 Task Status
Conduct a detailed condition assessment Pending
Complete a physical hydraulic model study Completed in July 2026 Reconfigure the trash rack Pending
Rehabilitate the cathodic protection system Completed in March 2025 Replace or rehabilitate remaining original gear boxes Pending Install backup pump level controls with mechanical floats Partially Complete Upgrade SCADA to report wet well water level Completed in January 2026 Complete improvements to the existing wet well Pending
Marina Lagoon PS: Long-Term Improvements
14 1 Build a new pump station next to
the existing station to provide
additional pumping capacity
under low lagoon and high Bay
conditions
2 Reconstruct the existing pump
station with modern equipment
and improved hydraulic and
debris-handling systems
LONG-TERM CAPACITY
Private
Development
Opportunities
• Strengthening runoff
management
requirements
• Aligning private
improvements with City
system capacity and
climate impacts
• Council direction
ultimately needed to
expand stormwater
obligations
LiDAR Aerial Survey Public Engagement
16 ENGAGEMENT & VALIDATION
• 3 community meetings held (2 inperson, 1 virtual)
• Engagement with Marina Lagoon AdHoc Group
• Online mapping tool generated over
50 reports
• Reports were used to validate the
hydraulic model and will be
maintained beyond adoption of the
SDMP
• Reported locations without an
associated CIP will be evaluated
case-by-case for improvements
Funding & Financing Strategy
• Storm Fee is the base funding source ($3.9 million in FY25 revenue) • Bonding/Loans will be evaluated as market conditions and project timing warrant • Supplemental mechanisms:
• Inter-Fund Loans,
• Development Impact Fees,
• Benefit-Assessment Districts,
• Grants (FEMA BRIC/FMA, state ICARP)
• Federal Partnerships (USACE)
• City received notice that the $500,000 federal earmark request for 4000 Pacific Blvd Pump Station Improvements will advance to the Appropriations Committee. 17 Estimated 5-year Storm Fee Outlook
18 FY 26 FY 27 FY 28 FY 29 FY 30
Storm Fee Revenue $4,200,000 $4,300,000 $4,400,000 $4,600,000 $4,700,000 Localize Ponding $250,000 $250,000 $250,000 $250,000 $250,000 Green Infrastructure $750,000 $1,200,000 $200,000 $200,000 $200,000 Program Management $100,000 $100,000 $100,000 $100,000 $100,000 Operation and Maintenance 1,800,000 $700,000 $600,000 $600,000 $600,000 Total Annual Expenses $5,150,000 $5,250,000 $4,150,000 $4,150,000 $4,150,000 Beginning Balance (FY 26)
$2,600,000
End Year Balance $1,650,000 $700,000 $950,000 $1,400,000 $1,950,000 Capital Improvement Projects $2,250,000 $3,000,000 $3,000,000 $3,000,000 $3,000,000 CIP Delivery Timelines (Year 1 and Year 2)
19 1 Initiate Design
PS 4000 Pacific PS Package
(Short-term, Long-term, 42nd Avenue Underpass)
CAP Grant & Sunnybrae Capacity Improvements
PIPE Bettina – Kingridge Pipe Replacements
PS Marina Lagoon Short-term Improvements
CAP Norton Street Ditch Improvements
2 Alternative Analysis Evaluations
101 16th Avenue Channel / HWY 101 Crossing Project PS Marina Lagoon PS – Long-term Improvements Next Steps
20 1 Continue evaluating funding options for “Very High” priority projects 2 Procure design consultants for the 42nd Avenue, Bettina/Kingridge, and Grant Street improvements 3 Maintain the stormwater mapping tool to support ongoing public engagement 4 Continue evaluating removal of additional properties from FEMA flood zones, including along the Hillsdale Corridor
Next Steps: FIRM Revisions (Preliminary)
21 • Original plan called
for removing only a
few properties near
Palm Avenue
• Updated modeling
and data may allow
the City to include
the Hillsdale
Corridor
PRELIMINARY
22 160
Total parcels removed
128
Total buildings
41 Total buildings
Laurel Creek
Bypass Project
Proactive Wet Weather Preparedness
23 • State of Emergency declared Sept. 21, 2026 by Gov.
Newsom
• 3 sandbag stations installed ahead of schedule on
9/25/26; coordinating with San Mateo Foster City
School District to install a North Central sandbag
station
• 4,500 catch basins and 2,700 storm pipes cleaned
annually; an additional 1,500 catch basins will be
checked/cleaned in FY 26-27
CATCH BASIN AND STORM PIPE CLEANING
Proactive Wet Weather Preparedness
24 • City dredged 2,000 CY of sediment from Marina
Lagoon at the Leslie and Borel Creeks entry points
• Creek vegetation removal scheduled at 16th Ave
and 19th Ave Channels, with permits in progress for
Laurel Creek between 39th/40th
• Residents: Please help the City clean its catch
basins this wet season by signing up for Adopt-ADrain!
ADOPT-A-DRAIN
Recommendation for City Council
25 STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve a
Resolution adopting the updated Storm Drain
Master Plan (SDMP)