Palo Alto's horizontal levee passes test, reduced flooding during recent stormsPALO ALTO, Calif. (KGO) -- When the recent storms and king tides slammed into the Bay Area they did what they always do, smash against seawalls and trigger flooding in low-lying areas. But along a quiet marsh behind the wastewater treatment plant in Palo Alto, something different was happening. Instead of crashing or flooding, the tides were surging, onto a new kind of barrier known as a horizontal levee. For North, who also directs watershed protection and Senior Engineer Samantha Engelage, the storms and king tide were the perfect proof-of-concept opportunity. "So, with this storm surge and the King tide event, it was a great opportunity for us to test this out.