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Bay Area storm prep: Where to find sandbags

Tuesday night First Alert weather forecast with Paul Heggen - 1/30/24
Tuesday night First Alert weather forecast with Paul Heggen - 1/30/24 04:36

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch that goes into effect early Wednesday morning for much of the San Francisco Bay Area as a potent atmospheric river slams into the region.

KPIX First Alert Weather: Current conditions, alerts, maps for your area

Heavier rain will be concentrated in the North Bay and the coastal mountains, but there will be enough significant precipitation that flooding is possible across the region along roads, streams, creeks and rivers. Flash floods are possible in areas that have had wildfire burns and within complex terrain, the weather service said.  

Bay Area flood watch
Bay Area flood watch that goes into effect Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 4 a.m. National Weather Service

The National Weather Service urged residents to use Tuesday's calm before the storm to prepare for "widespread and impactful rainfall" arriving Wednesday.  

Here is a list of where to get sandbags in every Bay Area county. Remember to bring a shovel just in case. 

**Sandbags are being provided free with proof of residency in each city.**

ALAMEDA COUNTY
Several cities in Alameda County are providing sandbags to their residents, while those living in unincorporated areas of the county can obtain up to four sandbags from Alameda County Public Works Agency at a number of locations listed on the ACPW website.

Castro Valley: Sandbags are available from the fire stations at these addresses:
20336 San Miguel Avenue
19780 Cull Canyon Road

Dublin: Sandbags are available at the City of Dublin Corporation Yard, located at 4825 Gleason Drive.

Hayward: Up to six sandbags are available at the City of Hayward Corporation Yard at 951 Turner Court and at the Hayward Animal Shelter at 16 Barnes Court.

Livermore: Sandbags are available at: (bring your own shovel; limit six sandbags per household except as noted)
Maintenance service center, at 3500 Robertson Park Rd.
Fire Station 6, at 4550 East Ave.
Fire Station 8 at 5750 Scenic Ave.
Zone 7 Water Agency at 100 North Canyons Pkwy. (limit of ten bags per household)

Oakland: Sandbags are available at limited times (check website) at these locations:
Municipal Service Center at 7101 Edgewater Dr.
Drainage Services Facility at 5921 Shepherd Canyon Rd.

Pleasanton:
Parkside Administrative Building at 5997 Parkside Dr.  
Operations Service Center at 3333 Busch Rd.   

San Leandro: 
Fire Station 12 at 1065 143rd Ave.  
Public Works Service Center at 14200 Chapman Rd.  

Sunol:
Sunol Glen Elementary School at 11601 Main St.  

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Sandbags are available at these locations from the county's Department of Public Works:

Ambrose Community Center, 3105 Willow Pass Rd, Bay Point
Byron Airport, 500 Eagle Court, Byron
County Public Works, 2475 Waterbird Way, Martinez
Howe Homestead, 2950 Walnut Blvd., Walnut Creek
Knightsen Farm Bureau, 3020 Second Street, Knightsen
West County Detention Facility, 5555 Giant Highway, Richmond

The county has also provided this list of cities including their websites.

MARIN COUNTY
Sandbags are available at the below locations according to the county website:

  •  Corte Madera 
    • Fire Station 14, 342 Tamalpais D 
    • Paradise Drive. Parking lot adjacent to Cove Park Cove School playground fields.
  •  Larkspur 
    • Piper Park parking lot at 250 Doherty Drive
    • Pump Station at Diane Lane & Midway Road
  • Marin City: bags and sand only
    • County Fire Station - 850 Drake Ave, Marin City
  • Mill Valley: bags and sand only
    • Hauke Park - 1 Hamilton Drive
    • Thalia parking lot at Boyle Park off of East Blithedale Avenue
    • Parking area on Molino Ave., behind Old Mill Park
  • Novato: bags and sand only
    • City of Novato Corp Yard - 550 Davidson St
    • 415-899-8920
  • Point Reyes: bags and sand only
    • County Fire Station - 4th & B St, Point Reyes Station
  • Ross: bags and sand only
    • Natalie Coffin Greene Park - 299 Lagunitas Rd.
    • Entrance to the park at the end of Lagunitas Rd. 
    • 415-453-1453
  • San Anselmo: bags and sand only
    • Sunny Hills Drive, in the parking lot adjacent to the tennis courts
  • San Rafael: bags and sand only
    • Terra Linda Community Center - 670 Del Ganado Rd., outside basketball courts, 
    • Upper City Hall Parking Lot- 1400 Fifth Avenue
    • Peacock Gap Park- 699 Biscayne Dr. Parking Lot
    • 415-485-3355
  • Sausalito: bags & sand only
    • Sausalito Corps Yard, 530 Nevada Street
    • MLK / Park School, 610 Coloma Street
  • Sleepy Hollow: bags & sand only 
    • Sleepy Hollow Clubhouse
  • Stinson Beach: bags & sand only 
    • Fire Station 2 - 100 Calle Del Arroyo
    • 415-868-0622
  • Strawberry: bags & sand only 
    • Miland Drive, first left off of Seminary, by the 7-11
  • Tam Valley: bags & sand only
    • Tennessee Valley Road at Marin Avenue, across from TCSD
  • Tiburon: bags & sand only
    • Outside Blackie's Pasture - 1 Brunni Wy., outside gravel lot
  • Woodacre
    • County Fire Station - 33 Castle Rock Ave, Woodacre

 Sandbags are also available at the following retail locations in Marin County:

  • Goodman's
    • 775 Redwood Hwy, Mill Valley
    • 415-388-6233
  • Martin Bros
    • 232 Shoreline Hwy, Mill Valley
    • 415-388-2025
  • Pini Hardware
    • 1535 S Novato Blvd, Novato
    • 415-892-1577
  • Shamrock
    • 548 Dubois St, San Rafael
    • 415-455-1575

NAPA COUNTY 
Napa County officials have provided a list of locations where sandbags are available. PUC Public Safety Residents can also contact the cities of American Canyon, Napa, St. Helena, and Calistoga, and Town of Yountville for sandbag locations and availability.

Napa River Reclamation District Facility 1501 Milton Rd., Napa 
Napa County Fire/Dry Creek Lakoya Volunteer Fire Dept. Station 16 5900 Dry Creek Road, Napa
Circle Oaks Community Water District, End of Circle Oaks Drive, Circle Oaks
Napa County Fire/Gordon Valley Volunteer Fire Station, 1345 Wooden Valley Cross Road, Napa
St. Helena Calif. Dept. Forestry Station, 3535 N. St Helena Hwy., Calistoga 
Angwin Fire (Volunteer Dept.) Station #18, 275 College Ave., Angwin 
American Canyon City Hall , 4381 Broadway St, American Canyon
American Canyon Corp Yard, 205 Wetlands Edge Rd, American Canyon
Napa City Hall,  770 Jackson St., Napa
Calistoga Public Works, 414 Washington St, Calistoga (NOTE: Sandbags and sand are in different locations. Check the website for times)
Calistoga Police Department, 1235 Washington St, Calistoga  
Calistoga Little League Field, 414 Washington St., Calistoga
St. Helena,  parking lot at the end of Adams Street, and parking lot at Crane Park between the tennis courts and the primary school.
Yountville Community Park, Corner of Washington & Jackson Street, Yountville

SAN FRANCISCO
Public Works will provide San Francisco residents and businesses up to 10 free sandbags leading up to and during severe rainstorms. They are intended for properties prone to flooding. Sandbags can be retrieved Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Public Works operations yard. People are advised to enter via the Marin Street/Kansas Street gate and bring proof of address. Check the public works website for updates.

SAN MATEO COUNTY
Sandbags are available in multiple cities. Check the county website for more information. Some of the locations include:

Daly City Public Works, 798 Niantic Avenue, Daly City
East Palo Alto Corp Yard, 150 Tara Rd, East Palo Alto
Menlo Park's Burgess Park
Menlo Park Fire Station No. 77, 1467 Chilco Street, Menlo Park
San Carlos City Corporation Yard, 1000 Bransten Road, San Carlos

Additional locations for unincorporated residents of the county (Pescadero, La Honda, Princeton and Grant) and other cities available here.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY
The Santa Clara Valley Water District is making sand bags available in several cities. 

Alviso: 5030 N 1st St., located behind George Mayne Elementary School, entrance on Wilson Way behind school
Palo Alto: 1925 Embarcadero Road, adjacent to Palo Alto Air Terminal
San Jose: City Central Service Yard, 1661 Senter Road at Phelan Ave., San Jose, CA 95122
Santa Clara Valley Water District Winfield Warehouse, Winfield Boulevard between Blossom Hill Road and Coleman Avenue, San Jose, CA 95123
Morgan Hill: El Toro Fire Station, 18300 Old Monterey Road, Morgan Hill

SOLANO COUNTY
Solano County is providing free sandbags at multiple locations.

Cordelia Fire District
Corner of Rockville Rd and Suisun Valley Road

Dixon Fire District and City of Dixon
Sand bags are located at 205 Ford Way Sand is located at old Ace Hardware (N. Jackson and West A Street)

Montezuma Fire District
Jericho Dredging located at 1285 Collinsville Road

Suisun Fire District
4965 Clayton Road

Vacaville Fire Protection District
4315 Cantelow Road (English Hills Station) *for unincorporated residents of Vacaville*

City of Benicia
Corporation Yard located at 2400 East Second Street East E Street parking lot (across the street from Benicia Yacht Club)

City of Fairfield
Public Works Corporation Yard - 420 Gregory Street, (Mon-Thurs. 7:30 am-4:30 pm) *empty sandbags Southeast corner of parking lot at Allen Witt Park (Enter at Woolner) sand only Corner of Pittman and Cordelia roads (inside unlocked fenced area) sand only ***all locations have a 10 bag limit - self serve bring own shovel

City of Rio Vista
1 Main Street Firehouse -350 Main Street sand bags only

City of Suisun 
701 Civic Center Blvd, behind police department

City of Vacaville 
**Only active in the event of a flooding**
Irene Larson Park, 1800 Alamo Drive (please bring proof of residence and shovel) Various city locations may be made available if flooding occurs.

City of Vallejo
Sandbags located west end of street at Vallejo Flood & Wastewater District, 450 Ryder Street to report flooding, call 644-8949 at any time. For more info, visit www.vallejowastewater.org

SONOMA COUNTY
Sonoma County is providing sandbags at multiple locations. Find a full list online here.

Santa Rosa Municipal Services Center North, 55 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa
Sandbag station, end of Hopper Street, Petaluma
Depot Park, 270 First St. W., Sonoma
Healdsburg Community Center, 1557 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg
Monte Rio Fire Department, 9870 Main Street, Monte Rio
Forestville Fire Department: 6554 Mirabel Road, Forestville
Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris St. Sebastapol

Friedman's Home Improvement is also offering up to 20 free sandbags to residents at its locations in Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Sonoma and Ukiah. Additional bags can be purchased separately.  Check the store's website for details.

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