Drains

The City of San Diego has over 75,000 storm drain structures and 889 miles of drainage pipe. The Storm Water Department is responsible for inspection, maintenance and repair of the storm drain system in the public right-of-way and in drainage easements. This includes clearing blocked drains, removing debris from storm drain structures, and cleaning and repairing damaged drainpipes.

Storm drains are designed to handle normal water flow, but occasionally during heavy rain, flooding will occur. Our goal is to limit the number of flooding incidents by keeping the drains clear with regular maintenance and cleaning.

Click the link below to see an example of one neighborhood and its storm drain system. The City's storm water responsibilities extend from the international border to the San Pasquale Valley.

• Mission Valley Storm Water Map

Fences

The Storm Water Department maintains over 100 miles of fencing. The fencing serves a variety of purposes. Most of the fencing surrounds storm drain channels and drainage structures. This serves the dual purpose of providing public safety and keeping excess debris out of the channels. Fences are checked at the start of the rainy season, as well as during and after the rains. Street Division also maintains fences in storm drain channels which function as a strainer to keep debris from flowing down the channel. They are inspected and cleaned regularly during the rainy season. We also maintain fences along roadways. These fences are installed for the purpose of public safety and are designed to keep pedestrians from crossing at hazardous locations.