By Niki Cervantes
Staff Writer

January 6, 2016 -- Some storm drains overflowed and contaminated debris ended up on Santa Monica beaches, prompting health warnings as the city by the bay endured the first El Niño-related rainfall of 2016, officials and environmentalists said.

Work crews from the City of Santa Monica were checking local storm drains after the city, like the rest of the Southland, were pelted by a hard rain -- the first of a series of El Niño-related storms anticipated to end Thursday or Friday.

Volunteers from Heal the Bay, the Santa Monica-based environmental group, also fanned out across local beaches to document and then clean up debris, said Alix Hobbs, Heal the Bay President and Chief Executive Officer.

Problem spots in Santa Monica included the Pier, she said. The Pico/Kenter storm drain was overwhelmed as well, she said, sending urban runoff flowing out onto the beach and ultimately out to the ocean waters.

She said there were also reports of a mud flow in the vicinity of Pacific Coast Highway related to the ongoing reconstruction of the California Incline.

“But any storm drain in the city at a beach locale is going to present a problem with debris after a big storm. “

Still, City Water Resources Manager Gil Borboa said Santa Monica’s 20 miles of storm drain piping and 800 catch basins handled Tuesday’s rain well.

“So far so good,” Borboa said in the late afternoon. “We were prepared.”

Borboa said there were no reports of “significant” flooding or other rain-related infrastructure problems. He said he did not know yet how many calls his office had received but urged residents to continue reporting any problems.

“If they call, we’ll take care of it,” he said. “We can be there within half an hour.”

Danny Gomez, wastewater supervisor for the City, also said the day had gone well. He said his office received a call about problems related catch basin screens but that no major problems cropped up at all.

“We were expecting a little more,” Gomez said.

Nonetheless, Los Angeles County health officials and even lifeguards warned residents of the potential hazards of being near overloaded storm drains and the contamination from them.

“Our storm drains are flowing! Be sure to stay clear of the water near breached storm drains. High levels of bacteria are present,” the division representing Los Angeles County lifeguards announced on its Facebook page.

“If you're at the beach [observing] the unusual amount of water flow be sure to stay back, we have a lot of sand erosion near flowing storm drains.”

Although lifeguards also issued advisories of dangerously high surf, “sneaker waves” and possible flooding near Santa Beach beaches on Monday, a spokesperson said Tuesday no incidents had been reported.

Also on Tuesday, county health officials issued a rain advisory that continues through Friday, saying runoff from the heavy rainfall could cause bacteria levels in ocean waters to increase.

Bacterial levels can stay elevated up to three days after rainfall, potentially causing illness, especially in children and the elderly, according to the warning.

“The Department of Public Health recommends that beach users avoid contact with ocean water for a period of 3 days after significant rainfall, especially near flowing storm drains, creeks and rivers,” the advisory said.

Activists and others remained on high alert. Heal the Bay’s Hobbs said more volunteers are needed to scour Santa Monica’s beaches on Thursday to document and clean the storm’s aftermath.

Tuesday’s rain was the first of several forecast to hit the Southland this week as a result of El Niño.

It was also a “first flush” rain for Santa Monica, loosening a huge layer of urban detritus, from motor oil and gasoline to plastic bags, tennis balls and even human and animal waste, and sending it through the system and, officials say, ultimately into the bay.

“All that runoff is just waiting to be sent out to the ocean,” Hobbs said.

The City of Santa Monica, like many other localities, has spent months bracing for El Niño. Weather forecasters say it will do its worst damage here in January, February and March.

In an update to the Santa Monica City Council in late November , officials said that emergency equipment was ready to be rolled out, storm drains inspected and cleaned of debris and crews prepared to build sand berms along the coast if needed.

Vulnerable sections of the Pier were also shored up to take an El Niño beating, they said, and a door-to-door public education campaign was launched to prepare residents for an El Niño season that could be the worst ever.

But, at least so far, City officials did not seem overwhelmed. Last year, Santa Monica saw only about five to six inches of rain and even with the last significant rain, in November, the total is still much less, Borboa said – and still a far cry from the 14 inches of rain that, before the drought, was normal.

“We’re in good stead,” he said.

Gomez said the day’s lack of major mishaps was the result of months of hard work of El Niño preparation.

“That tells you how well this system worked,” he said. “It’s been well kept up.”