City of San Mateo asks residents to help shape new storm drain roadmap after two decade gap
San Mateo, California – San Mateo is revisiting a piece of infrastructure most people rarely think about until the water starts rising. More than two decades after its last update, the City’s Storm Drain Master Plan is being rewritten, a move officials say is meant to better reflect present-day conditions and prepare for the flooding challenges that may lie ahead.
The effort began on June 17, 2024, when the City of San Mateo awarded a contract to Schaaf & Wheeler Consultants to update and revise the Storm Drain Master Plan, commonly known as the SDMP. The previous version dated back to 2004, leaving a long gap between planning cycles in a city where drainage needs, development patterns and weather pressures do not stand still.
Now, the draft version of that updated plan has been released for public review. City officials are opening the process to residents, not simply as a formality, but as a way to test the document against lived experience. Beyond engineering models and technical projections, the city wants to hear where streets, neighborhoods and problem spots have actually flooded, and whether those on-the-ground events align with what the draft plan predicts about future flooding.
That public review window runs from March 31, 2026, through May 30, 2026, giving community members two months to examine the document and weigh in. Residents can send comments directly to Public Works at [email protected] using the subject line “SDMP Comments.” The city is specifically seeking real-world flooding experiences and other details that may help evaluate the accuracy and usefulness of the draft plan.
For those who prefer a more interactive option, feedback can also be submitted through the Storm Drain Master Plan Public Comment Map. The city has also made the draft available online through its “Draft Storm Drain Master Plan” posting for residents who want to review the material before commenting.
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In practical terms, the update is about more than a document. It is about understanding how water moves through San Mateo today, where the weak points may be, and what improvements may be needed in the years ahead.
By combining technical analysis with community input, the city is trying to shape a plan grounded in both data and daily reality. For residents who have watched stormwater collect where it should not, this review period offers a direct chance to help shape the next chapter of San Mateo’s flood planning.
