South County residents should soak up what sun they can, because
clouds and rain will cover the valley until Christmas Day. A storm
generated by a warm-weather system to the south will roll into
Morgan Hill and Gilroy by tonight, and linger at least until late
next week, according to National Weather Service forecaster Diana
Henderson.
South County residents should soak up what sun they can, because clouds and rain will cover the valley until Christmas Day.
A storm generated by a warm-weather system to the south will roll into Morgan Hill and Gilroy by tonight, and linger at least until late next week, according to National Weather Service forecaster Diana Henderson.
The rain and wind will likely peak by Saturday night, by which time as much as 2 inches of rain could fall on the hilltops, Henderson said. The storm could clear up by next Saturday, but not before dumping up to 5 inches of rain on the valley floors. On the brighter side, at least temperatures will remain in the low-50s or higher throughout the cycle.
Public works officials don’t think the storm will bring enough rain to cause problematic flooding in downtown Morgan Hill as big storms have in the past – and as recently as Oct. 13, 2009. During that storm, which dumped nearly 7 inches of rain on Morgan Hill in 24 hours, the city suffered about $140,000 in public property damage.
But the city and water district are preparing for the worst, setting up sand bag stations for property owners to help themselves throughout South County.
Santa Clara Valley Water District staff will monitor new web cameras focused on key areas along Upper Llagas Creek, particularly at the intersection of Main and Hale avenues, to ensure trash-collecting racks are not becoming blocked, water district spokesman Marty Grimes said.
Residents should ensure storm drains on their property are clear, and city staff are in the process of notifying downtown merchants of the nearest sand bag locations and advising them to be prepared, according to Morgan Hill public works director Karl Bjarke.
During a discussion of the progress of the long-planned Upper Little Llagas Creek flood control project at Wednesday’s city council meeting, council members and city staff noted that until that project is completed the downtown area will continue to flood anytime there is protracted rainfall.
While the coming storm isn’t expected to bring as much rain as storms that have flooded the creek uphill from downtown in the past, city manager Ed Tewes noted that Monterey Road and other areas downtown tend to flood “when it rains steadily.”
The flood control project is currently in the design phase, but the $130-million-plus project has been mired in red tape and lack of funding since the 1950s. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the lead sponsor on the project, though the city and water district have spotted the federal government about $10 million for pre-construction costs associated with the design and review.
Design options for the flood channel as it crosses through downtown could include either widening the existing creek which meanders through residential properties, or an underground diversion culvert that crosses underneath the Britton Middle School ball fields and Monterey Road. Such a culvert would be designed to only carry overflow from the creek during heavy storms.
Some downtown merchants such as the Morgan Hill Cigar Co. still have sandbags left over from the 2009 storm. Cigar Co. manager Steve Boyce said he is preparing for next week’s storm, though he doesn’t think it will bring major problems as long as the water district and city keep the creek beds and storm drains clear.
During the 2009 flood, businesses such as the Cigar Co. suffered minor damage, not from standing flood water but from vehicles kicking up rooster tails onto the sidewalks and through front doors as they sped through town. Boyce suggested the city should close Monterey Road through the downtown floodplain if it begins to flood next week.
Sandbag stations will be supplied in the following locations in Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy:
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City of Morgan Hill Corporation Yard, Edes Court
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Depot Street Caltrain parking lot, Morgan Hill
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El Toro fire station, Old Monterey Road
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Santa Clara County South public works yard, 13600 Murphy Avenue, San Martin
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Las Animas fire station, 8383 Wren Ave., Gilroy
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Chestnut fire station, 7070 Chestnut St., Gilroy
