Sonoma County says good riddance to first bout of atmospheric storm
Sonoma County says good riddance to the first bout of the atmospheric storm
Parts of Sonoma County were hit by as much as 15 inches of rain, with Occidental getting more than 20 inches. Much of the runoff will make its way down to the Russian River from its massive 1,500-square-mile drainage area. KTVU's Tom Vacar reports from Guerneville.
GUERNEVILLE, Calif. - Parts of Sonoma County were hit by as much as 15 inches of rain, with Occidental getting more than 20 inches. Much of the runoff will make its way down to the Russian River from its massive 1,500-square-mile drainage area.
Guerneville passed the minor flooding level at 6 PM Friday, and the area crested at moderate flood at 6 AM Saturday. However, Russian River flooding, as well as a lot of possible local flooding throughout the North Bay, remained a threat throughout most of the day.
The water level at Johnson's Beach was so high that other streams and tributaries backed up. This flooded areas which typically only flood when large rainfalls are experienced.
"It continues to go for maybe a week after the storm stops. Eventually, it's all got to go in the river. If the river backs up, this will back up," said Guerneville resident Patrick Reesink.
Just off of Neeley Road, water came up so quickly that many folks were caught completely off guard.
"When I woke up, water was coming into my trailer, I had it hooked up, got it out, came back for my car and walked through three feet of water and I got it out just in time," said Neeley Road resident Richard Ernst.
However, a number of cars, pickups and recreational vehicles were inundated. Along Drake Road, Pee Wee Golf and Arcade was also flooded while neighbors helped the owners move equipment to higher ground.
Though the folks on Neeley are used to this, sometimes several times a year, the real problem afterwards is picking up all the debris, which is left everywhere.
Good Samaritan Liam O'Brayton is a busy craftsman known as the Russian River Handyman, on Nextdoor and Facebook.
"Whenever it floods, I come down. I do sandbags. I will pick up trash for months after it's done; all kinds of stuff," said Mr. O'Brayton.
At his own expense, O'Brayton says he provided bottled water for folks to pick up at the Bank of America, towed some kayaks out, and he towed as many vehicles out as he could before the water overwhelmed them. He also delivered water to a man stranded in his RV.
"It's significant, in perspective, for some people it's like terrible; like these guys, they don't have anywhere to go now," said O'Brayton.
With the soil so saturated, tree falls and mudslides loom at major threats all over the North Bay.