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Page 3 of 9 City of Redwood City 1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA. 94063 Tel: 650-780-7000 www.redwoodcity.org the industrial waterfront. Regional factors, including tidal influences and shared levee systems, further elevate the City’s exposure. Redwood City’s stormwater challenges fall into four main categories: condition, capacity, climate resiliency, and water quality. Many system components, including pipes, pump stations, and levees, are decades old and have limited data on their current condition, raising the risk of unexpected failures. Capacity is also a concern, as much of the infrastructure was not designed to handle today’s rainfall or the heavier storms we expect in the future. This is particularly concerning in older, flatter neighborhoods that are more prone to flooding. Moreover, climate change compounds these issues, with sea-level rise, higher groundwater, and more intense storms threatening the reliability of gravity-based drainage and increasing the likelihood of compound flooding. In addition, the City must meet regulatory water quality requirements under the Municipal Regional Stormwater Permit, including trash capture and green infrastructure, to reduce pollutants entering San Francisco Bay. Several critical infrastructure needs have been identified as near-term priorities. These include raising the Redwood Shores levee system to attain FEMA accreditation, rehabilitating the Bradford and Price pump stations, upgrading associated stormwater mains, and conducting condition assessments of high-risk pipes - those that are older, deteriorated, undersized, or located where failure could cause significant flooding or damage. Additional focus areas include achieving full trash capture compliance, repairing deficiencies in the Redwood Creek channel, and planning for long-term climate adaptation. Together, these efforts will move the City from a reactive to a proactive stormwater management program that strengthens resilience, protects public safety, and ensures regulatory compliance. To strengthen resilience against future flood risks, Redwood City should update its codes and design standards to reflect recent regional and local studies. Current City requirements set building floor elevations at or above base flood levels; however, updated guidance recommends planning for up to 3.5 feet of sea-level rise by mid- to late century. As a result, the City may need to raise finished floor elevation standards for new development and public infrastructure in vulnerable areas beyond what is outlined in current City requirements. Sea-level rise is projected to elevate shallow groundwater levels. Incorporating groundwater monitoring and groundwater-aware design into capital planning will help mitigate risks such as buoyancy, corrosion, and infiltration failures. Together, these updates will enable Redwood City to proactively adapt its infrastructure for long-term climate resilience. ANALYSIS To guide stormwater planning, staff developed a Stormwater Roadmap as an interim step toward a comprehensive master plan. The Roadmap establishes priorities, identifies potential funding strategies, and outlines the next steps for building a sustainable, long-term program. It does not replace a stormwater master plan; a typical master plan would include technical studies, modeling, and systemwide evaluation to provide the data-driven framework needed to identify and prioritize capital improvements. 11.A. - Page 3 of 53 434