Flood Control - Santa Cruz LAFCO

Santa Cruz LAFCO: Countywide Service Review
Flood Protection and Stormwater Services
maintenance. The City constructed the Lawn Way pump station in the past few years to alleviate Village
flooding.
Capitola has implemented several best management practices related to its drainage infrastructure,
including outfall inspection and cleaning, annual storm drain cleaning in the fall, and zero discharge
sidewalk cleaning.
The City faces several challenges over the next five years, including developing an accurate map of the
drainage systems, implementing the Soquel Creek Lagoon Management Plan, and improving water
quality in Soquel Creek. The City’s NPDES program is currently unfunded. The City did receive a grant
from the State Water Resources Control Board for $100,000 to prepare a storm drain master plan for the
Village area to identify key components to water quality and to design and build dry weather diversions.
The project is included in the City’s Capital Improvement Program and is scheduled for FY 2004-2005.
The City noted that the size of its drainage system is inadequate, and critical drainage improvements
remain unfunded.
City of Santa Cruz
The City of Santa Cruz maintains 7 miles of underground stormwater pipelines, 8 miles of surface storm
ditches, 1 pump station, approximately 1,500 catch basins and 125 outfalls. The City also maintains the
US Army Corps of Engineers levee system on the San Lorenzo River, which is approximately 3 miles
long with 5 pump stations. Over the past ten years, the City has experienced only minor flooding in
localized areas with minimal damage. Infrastructure deficiencies were the primary cause, and the City
has since completed several infrastructure projects that have reduced the worst flooding. The City noted
that in some areas additional infrastructure is needed or capacity needs to be increased in order to
maintain adequate service levels. The City also noted the need to increase maintenance activities to
improve water quality.
The City’s operations and maintenance program for the flood control facilities on the San Lorenzo River
includes removal of sand and silt from the channels of the river and Branciforte Creek; maintenance of
pumps, gates and levees; and removal of weeds and growth in drainage ditches and catch basins.
The City budgeted $3.35 million for stormwater-related capital projects in FY 2003-2004, including the
preparation of a Citywide Storm Drain Master Plan, Clean Beaches/Wet Wells program, and $2.1 million
for the Laurel Phase of the San Lorenzo River Flood Control Project. The proposed budget for FY 2004-
2005 includes $131,000 in funding for capital projects with $130,000 directed towards the San Lorenzo
River pump station repairs and vegetation and sediment management for the river.
One of the City’s achievements in the past few years was the construction of new storm drains near lower
Ocean Street and at the intersection of Seabright and Broadway. As a best management practice the City
has routine street sweeping and regularly cleans the storm drain pipeline system.
June 2005 – Public Review Draft Section 5 - 4