San Anselmo focuses on flood prevention after storms

SAN ANSELMO, Calif. (KGO) -- The threat of flooding is over for now in the North Bay, but the fear of it is far from gone. San Anselmo is discussing a plan to prevent future flooding where it has happened too often.

RELATED: Strong storm nearly causes San Anselmo creek to overflow

Flood sirens have sounded twice this winter in San Anselmo, most recently on Jan. 10 when San Anselmo Creek overflowed, prompting evacuations downtown.

"A few years back we had two feet of water in here," said Salon owner Linda Semorile, indicating her shop floor.

Semorile has lived through it too many times before.

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San Anselmo town council is considering several flood control plans which include building a flood water catch basin on county property in Fairfax. They also plan on purchasing, then demolishing downtown buildings built over the creek, which blocks high water.

"It has a lot of concrete in the creek, and it's low--provides obstacles to creek water," said San Anselmo Town Manager Debbie Stutsman.

Pat Townsley is about to open Creekside Taproom in one of those buildings spanning the creek. "It's been raining really good," he said. "There's four feet of water near the bottom of this building now."

Townsley doesn't want to move his new restaurant. "It's something you live with, like living near a volcano. It happens every 10 years."

However, many agree this town can't keep enduring flood fears every storm.

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"A lot of emotion involved," Stutsman told ABC7 News. "Worrying about rainstorm, putting up floodgates and sandbags.

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