Departments

The District’s Engineering Department plans, designs, and delivers projects that protect communities and maintain flood control and water resources infrastructure, including:

• Upgrades and repairs to older facilities
• Restoration and enhancements to natural creeks or flood control channels and reservoirs
• New infrastructure

The Flood Control Engineering Department also reviews preliminary Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Studies, which inform the development of FEMA’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps. By providing technical input early in the process, the District helps ensure these maps accurately reflect local conditions, saving thousands of property owners from paying for unnecessary flood insurance.

To support effective project design and analysis, rainfall and stream flow data are used to update and refine stream flow models and rainfall statistics. The Department also supplements the District’s rain gauge network by coordinating collection of rainfall data by volunteers throughout the Western Alameda County.

The District’s Clean Water Program oversees the Alameda Countywide Clean Water Program and represents the County’s unincorporated areas as one of 77 co-permittees regulated by the joint Municipal Regional Stormwater Permit (MRP) issued by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Clean Water staff also oversee permit compliance activities for the District and unincorporated County areas.

The District’s Maintenance and Operations team keeps stormwater moving safely from neighborhood streets to the San Francisco Bay by:

• Inspecting more than 500 miles of conduits, channels, and natural creeks and approximately 3,750 drop inlets
• Clearing excess vegetation, sediment, and debris and keeping fences intact
• Inspecting and repairing the District’s 22 pump stations
• Inspecting and maintaining over 3,700 tide gates
• Working with District staff to plan flood control infrastructure upgrades

The Maintenance and Operations Department also helps keep the public safe by responding to hazardous spills and other urgent field issues, inspecting damaged trees within its jurisdiction and reducing fire hazards, providing sandbag supplies during storms and flood events, and supporting emergency response operations during natural disasters.

The District’s Development and Construction Department reviews all proposed private and public developments in the County’s unincorporated areas for compliance with accepted engineering standards, environmental requirements, and District ordinances.

Department staff review design documents from applicants and issue permits for new developments in the unincorporated areas. The Construction Division inspects all flood control-related construction proposed to connect to District facilities in unincorporated County areas and District’s service areas to ensure that facilities are constructed in accordance with engineered plans before acceptance. Laboratory testing and contract administration are also managed by this Division.

Management Services provides the District’s human resources, accounting, information technology, and other administrative support functions.