Rake the leaves off Eureka's storm-drain grates before the first big rain (2026-07-19)

Eureka's flat, low streets flood at the intersections every fall when the first storm hits grates buried under maple and alder leaves. Water over the curb soaks doorsteps in the same low blocks the king tides already reach. Twenty minutes with a rake at each grate before the storm keeps the street draining. Standard: City stormwater MS4 good-housekeeping practice (adopt-a-drain model); SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities. Proof: Before/after photos of each cleared grate Method (City stormwater MS4 good-housekeeping practice (adopt-a-drain model); SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities.): 1. Take an assigned set of storm-drain grates on the low blocks and photograph each buried grate. 2. Rake leaves and debris off each grate from the curb or sidewalk, never standing in the traffic lane. 3. Bag the debris as green waste rather than sweeping it down the drain. 4. Check the grate opening is fully clear and water can enter. 5. Photograph each cleared grate and log the intersection list with date. Done when: Before/after photos of each cleared grate

Where

Street grates, low blocks around Myrtle Avenue and 14th Street, Eureka, CA 95501

Pay

$160 proposed

This packet is not funded yet, so this figure is a proposed price and not money waiting in escrow. If a buyer funds it, approved proof settles that price onchain. If nobody funds it, approved proof earns provable credit toward the work instead of cash. You see which before you claim, never after.

Proof

Before/after photos of each cleared grate

This is exactly what gets it approved. Nothing settles without it.

Level

entry

Open until

2026-10-19

How this work is done

A documented method, so this packet comes out the same whoever does it. Typically 60–180 minutes. Method of record: Storm drain inlet surface cleaning + minor grate/apron repair per EPA MS4 stormwater BMP maintenance — SURFACE WORK FROM THE CURB ONLY; never enter the drain, never lift beyond the grate; assess→clear/repair→verify

Bring

• heavy work gloves + hi-vis vest + grabber tool and rake
• contractor bags for debris (landscape debris separated from trash)
• camera + measuring tape
• cones for the curb work zone (stay out of the traffic lane)

Steps

1. 1. ASSESS: photograph the inlet as found (grate, apron, gutter approach), note blockage type and any damage (broken grate, displaced apron concrete), and record GPS.
2. 2. Set cones at the curb work zone; all work is from the sidewalk/curb — never step into the traffic lane and never enter, reach into, or open the drain structure.
3. 3. Clear debris, sediment, and litter from the grate surface and the gutter approach with the rake/grabber; bag and dispose of it properly (green waste separated).
4. 4. Minor repair within surface scope: re-seat a displaced grate that lifts freely by hand from above, patch apron spalls with cold-patch where the city standard allows; anything more is documented, not attempted.
5. 5. VERIFY: photograph the cleared inlet from the same vantage, pour a bucket of clean water at the gutter approach to show flow into the inlet, and report any structural damage to the municipal stormwater line (311/MS4 contact) with photos.

If it does not match the plan

• Anything requiring entry, reaching into the barrel, or lifting a seized grate -> STOP: document and report to the municipality; surface work only.
• Suspected illicit discharge (odor, sheen, off-color flow) -> do not touch; photograph from the curb and report to the MS4 hotline immediately.
• Inlet on a high-speed road with no safe curb work zone -> document from the sidewalk only and report; never work in the traffic lane.

What counts as done

• Before/after photos from matching vantage show the grate and gutter approach clear
• Water-flow photo/video shows drainage into the inlet with no ponding at the approach
• Debris bagged and disposed (photo), green waste separated
• Any structural damage reported to the municipal stormwater contact with the report reference recorded

Proof is measured against these, not judged by taste.