This SLO creek is prone to flooding — but fixes haven’t always been popular. What happened?

Sometimes people are ahead of their time.

San Luis Obispo was pummeled by epic flooding in January 1969 and again in January 1973 .

The first storm dumped the equivalent of half an average year’s rainfall in just two days, 10.53 inches.

Near the end of those torrential 48 hours, a full inch of rain fell in just 25 minutes.

Both the 1969 and 1973 storms resulted in heavy flooding, especially near San Luis Creek between Marsh Street and Madonna Road.

San Luis Obispo’s City engineer at the time, and later public works director, David Romero pushed for immediate action, but he had to contend with rising tides of the environmental movement and regulation.

Unkind critics nicknamed him “Dave the Pave,” an unfair caricature of a career of public service that included decades of building city infrastructure as well as a second career as elected mayor and city council member. The city corporation yard was named for him.

After the 1973 event, council members questioned how many of the longstanding trees needed to be cut and took an unusual field trip to the work site. They would later hold well-attended meetings at City Hall filled with public comment.

In fairness, these decisions require nuance and some actions have long-term unintended consequences.

A new project in the vicinity today would make the late engineer Romero happy. It is more nuanced than a tree cutting program proposed in the 1973 story that follows, though the current plan will include removal of non-native trees and vegetation.

The new program, in cooperation with several agencies and funding sources, will create bypass areas that can carry excess flood water between Marsh Street and Madonna Road.

It will expand creek capacity from the current narrow V shape that resulted from development encroaching tightly along the creek banks.

The following unbylined Telegram-Tribune story ran Jan. 27, 1973, talking about work in the creek upstream near San Luis Obispo High School:

Storm’s aftermath: City watches tree removal

San Luis Obispo’s city council went hiking Friday afternoon.

Councilmen adjourned their noon meeting and postponed decisions on implementing the general plan along state law required guidelines.

Instead, they strolled along San Luis Creek, inspecting flood hazards and determining which trees should be removed to lessen high-water damage.

Creek hazards will be discussed by the city council along with other problems caused by the recent flood at a public session Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers.

The afternoon hike was prompted by the removal of six sycamore trees Thursday in San Luis Creek between San Luis Drive and California Boulevard. City engineer David Romero said the trees, in danger of falling, presented potential creek flow problems.

The city tree committee learned of the tree removal from Park Foreman Lane Wilson. Committee members inspected a portion of the creek and Wilson and Paul Landell of the city engineers office agreed 64 trees along the entire creek should be felled. This included 21 sycamores.

At the noon council meeting, Mayor Kenneth Schwartz emphasized removal first of debris from the creek before determining tree hazards.

“It seems like we’re doing this under martial law,” Councilman Keith Gurnee said.

Romero explained the potential danger presented by the trees, but Mayor Schwartz said, “Your department better have damn good judgment.”

That judgment, however, was not left to Romero’s department. The council decided if trees were to be cut it should at least provide advice.

Throughout the creek inspection, Romero emphasized his reluctance to cut down any trees, but he said several which were cut had been ready to fall down.

Most irate of the councilmen was Myron Graham, who reiterated, “The trees have been there quite a number of years.”

Councilman Emmons Blake, who wanted the council to make a strict engineering judgment on the trees, said “None of us lust for the destruction of anything.”

The council only made suggestions on trees between San Luis Drive and California Boulevard. Approximately 10 trees, red-flagged for removal, were discussed. At least three were ordered removed, two partially removed and the remainder left standing.

Near the conclusion of the creek tour, a reporter asked Schwartz if tree decisions could legally be made since the council meeting has been called only to discuss implementation of general plan guidelines.

Schwartz said the council was only providing advice for Romero’s department.

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