Palo Alto Flood Basin Tide Gate Structure Replacement Project

Status

On Target

Phase

Design

Location

Palo Alto

Schedule

Construction Season 1 September 2025 through January 2026; Season 2 September 2026 through October 2026

Funding

Watershed & Stream Stewardship Fund

Valley Water provides flood protection to homes, businesses, schools and highways in Santa Clara County. As part of our commitment, Valley Water will design and construct a seismic retrofit and rehabilitation of the existing Palo Alto Flood Basin (PAFB) Tide Gate Structure to extend the service life of the current structure up to an estimated 20 year timeframe. A long-term tide-gate replacement structure will be developed with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) under the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Phase II Project. The existing structure is located where the PAFB connects to the San Francisco Bay, one half mile northeast of the Byxbee Park parking lot on the Adobe Creek Loop Trail. The tide gate protects against coastal flooding and controls the downstream water levels for Matadero, Adobe and Barron creeks, which all drain to the PAFB. This project will continue to provide significant flood protection benefits to nearby homes, businesses and schools and a portion of U.S. Highway 101. Additionally, the project will continue to protect existing wildlife and habitat.

Project Background

The PAFB Tide Gate Structure was constructed in 1957. Due to its age and location in a corrosive marine environment, the tide gate structure is showing signs of deterioration, including spalled concrete and exposed reinforcement steel. Seepage was previously addressed by an emergency repair project in 2012. In 2017, Valley Water attempted minor maintenance repairs that would have extended the life of the structure. However, construction was suspended when difficulties were anticipated in dewatering the work area.

Project Factsheet

For more information:

Mohammad Hussaini, Project Manager, (408) 630-2067
Jiana Escobar, Neighborhood Liaison, (408) 630-2266
Sign up to receive project updates via email

For more information:

Mohammad Hussaini, Project Manager, (408) 630-2067
Jiana Escobar, Neighborhood Liaison, (408) 630-2266
Sign up to receive project updates via email

General Information

Project Factsheet

Reports and Studies

Board and Committee Meeting Agendas

The PAFB Tide Gate Structure prevents flooding by keeping high tide waters out of the PAFB and controlling the downstream water levels of Matadero, Adobe and Barron Creeks, which all drain to the PAFB.
The PAFB tide gate structure is an important component of providing flood protection for residents along the lowers reaches of Adobe, Barron, and Matadero Creeks and Highway 101.
The PAFB Tide Gate Structure also protects habitat, including for sensitive wildlife, by preventing tidal inundation in the PAFB.

The PAFB Tide Gate Structure is located where the PAFB connects to the San Francisco Bay. The structure is located half a mile northeast of the Byxbee Park parking lot on the Adobe Creek Loop Trail. The structure was originally built in 1957, and has outlived its 50-year projected life. The structure controls the downstream water levels for Matadero, Adobe and Barron Creeks, which all drain to the PAFB. The tide gate structure helps keep high tide waters out from the PAFB and allows it to empty out twice a day during low tides. The tide gate structure helps prevent flooding in the lower reaches of these creeks and inundation of wildlife habitats in the basin. The existing structure is vulnerable to projected future sea level rise, which reduces the tide gate’s ability to drain the flood basin.

Due to its age and location in a corrosive marine environment, the tide gate structure shows signs of deterioration, including spalled concrete, exposed reinforcement steel, and water seepage through cracked concrete and leaky tide gate seals. Seepage was previously addressed by an emergency repair project in 2012. In 2017 Valley Water attempted minor maintenance repairs that would have extended the life of the structure. Construction was suspended when dewatering the work area revealed additional evidence of damage from aging. Valley Water has determined that replacement of the structure, rather than repair, is warranted to ensure flood protection for residents along the lower reaches of Adobe, Barron and Matadero Creeks and Highway 101.