During heavy rain, the Maintenance Division staff is on storm patrol. Crews circulate throughout the City cleaning storm drain inlets and removing any debris that could cause localized flooding conditions. The goal is to keep the streets as safe as possible for the public during the inclement weather.

Flooding conditions should be reported to the Newark Service Center during regular business hours at 578-4806.  After hours, please contact the Police Department's non-emergency line at (510) 578-4237.  For any emergencies, dial 9-1-1.

For Bay Area road conditions, call 511 or visit www.511.org. By dialing 511, you can get essential travel information. This service offers information on public transportation, traffic, carpooling, vanpooling and bicycling.

For further information on the Flood Control Channels (PDF) and Alameda Creek's capacity, and rainfall intensity charts/statistics, contact the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District in Hayward at (510) 670-5480.

Power Outage Information  

Where to get Sandbags

In the event that you feel your residence or business is threatened by flooding, the City has a stockpile of sand and sandbags available at:

Newark Service Center
37440 Filbert Street

(510) 578-4806

Sandbags are available during regular business hours.  Each resident may be issued up to ten (10) bags to protect their doorways if flood warnings are issued or if flooding is occurring in Newark. Verification of residency and a signature will be required for issuance of the sandbags. Filling and handling of the sandbags will be the responsibility of the resident.

Filling Sandbags

How full should I fill the sandbags? Don’t fill them more than 1/3 to 1/2 full – to be effective, the sandbags need to be able to bend to fill in empty spaces. How can I increase the effectiveness of the sandbags? Before placing the sandbags at doors, put down some heavy plastic so that it covers the bottom of the door. This will help prevent water that gets past the edges of the sandbags from entering the door opening. How can I find out the weather forecast? Call the National Weather Service at (831) 656-1725. Their website is www.nws.noaa.gov.

Will I experience flooding in my home? Generally, Newark doesn’t experience flood waters that reach homes. However, if it is raining heavily at the same time as a high tide, there could be localized flooding because the system cannot drain to the Bay. Unfortunately, there is nothing anyone can do to make the water drain faster during high tides. 

Sandbagging Techniques

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