February 3, 2003 was the fifth anniversary of the terrible flood on San Francisquito Creek that caused so much damage to 1,700 homes in Palo Alto and East Palo Alto. Every time we experience a heavy rain many of us have another "anxiety"' attack. We are fearful of another flood.

We came very near to another catastrophe on December 16 of 2002. The level of water in the creek approached flood conditions. If it had rained for another few hours, we would have had a repeat of the 1998 disaster.