Northern CA Russian/Napa River Flooding

Buzz Mills

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Extensive flooding in Northern CA. The Russian River is expected to crest at 46 feet by tomorrow---way over the flood level, plus we are having the highest tide of the entire year---+7 feet, with high winds on top of that. Makes it very difficult for any of our creeks, streams, and rivers to empty into San Franacisco Bay, or the Pacific Ocean. There should be a lot of news articles on it. Be back with at least one.

http://tinyurl.com/agthr
 
The Russian River at Guerneville is supposed to crest at 46 feet later today, well over the 32 flood stage. Things are going to get ugly.

Possible thunderstorms (a relative rarity), hail storms, with a chance of an isolated tornado (a real rarity) throughout the day.
 
Is this the area where you live Buzz? If so, stay safe and keep us posted.
 
The ugly part of this is yet to come. Northern California, from the Bay Area to the Oregon border, almost 400 miles North of here, is one big catch basin for rain--when major storms sweep in they cover the entire Northern part of the state. Major dams, retain the water along the way. But what happens is very soon, the dams in the North are going to have to begin increasing their water flow, otherwise they jeopardize themselves. Then the dams South of them are forced to increase their flow, and the Sacramento Delta which connects to the Bay, will begin flooding... The huge Delta area has 100's of miles of levees. These levees have always been in danger of being overwhelmed. We have had breaks before--but it can get very serious in a very big hurry, should that start to occur.

The local channels are glued to the weather--it has been on for two hours straight now--they could be locked into the weather for the next 24 hours
 
I've been seeing updates on flood threats in Northern Cal on the national news for the last few days. It sounds like it is going to be really bad. I am a former Northern Cal resident (East Bay) and once canoed on the Russian River. I hope that Mother Nature controls herself and that everybody stays safe.
 
A levee has broken and a bunch of homes are about to be flooded---this is really early in the game--could get a lot worse. 200,000 without power
 
I have been watching the coverage on TV and it looks really bad. Hope everyone in the area stays safe. We have seen the damage this type of flooding can do.
 
The Russian River will crest at Guerneville at 46+ feet around midnight tonight, 12 feet above flood stage--what a way to begin the New Year. It's about 37 feet right now. The Sacramento Valley is also experiencing a lot of flooding.
 
Buzz, am glad to see you back on here. Aren't you out that way? I was worried about you. Stay safe.
 
Alice253 said:
Buzz, am glad to see you back on here. Aren't you out that way? I was worried about you. Stay safe.

I live in the foothills on the South side of the Bay--safe and sound just below the Stevens Creek Dam, an earth-filled dam sitting fairly close to the San Andreas Fault; if the dam breaks I am up on a knoll, and should be OK. Of course that depends somewhat on how much water is behind the damn dam when it breaks. Good to see you Alice.
 
My grandparents live in Sacramento - and their house has gotten flooded at least once before. I just got off the phone with them - they put up a new low concrete retaining wall (about 2and a half or 3 feet tall), and that saved them this time - by a very few inches. The water almost managed to come through a neighbor's yard and get them from the back where they had no wall. Water is starting to go down now, so they think they're safe.

And in a funny coincidence, on CNN Headline news, they're showing flooding in Oregon, and the street they show is the main street of the very tiny town where my grandparents live in the summer (their old family home they inherited from my great-grandfather who built it long ago). Fortunately that house is in no danger of flooding. But the flooding on the 101 in Oregon is right by their house.
 
Details said:
My grandparents live in Sacramento - and their house has gotten flooded at least once before. I just got off the phone with them - they put up a new low concrete retaining wall (about 2and a half or 3 feet tall), and that saved them this time - by a very few inches. The water almost managed to come through a neighbor's yard and get them from the back where they had no wall. Water is starting to go down now, so they think they're safe.

And in a funny coincidence, on CNN Headline news, they're showing flooding in Oregon, and the street they show is the main street of the very tiny town where my grandparents live in the summer (their old family home they inherited from my great-grandfather who built it long ago). Fortunately that house is in no danger of flooding. But the flooding on the 101 in Oregon is right by their house.
That's a really cool story Details; nothing like seeing where you spent time as a child..
 
Actually, I first went up there, Oregon house, after I was an adult - I don't know if they just didn't inherit it until then, or didn't start going there until later. Scary place to go - driveway is hardly visible off of a small road, No Trespassing sign, no address to make you sure you've got the right place, long meandering driveway going through the woods.... you're not sure the first time out there whether I'd run into my grandparents, or an armed militia's secret hideout!

It's a neat house. We were there last summer, and helped replace a support beam in the house - jacked the house up, put in a new beam! Pretty incredible. This house was not made with plans and regular supplies, just whatever great-grandpa had to build with and a bunch of his sons helping him out. And it's in the middle of an old growth forest.
 
Could that be Elkton, OR.?
I have an internet friend up there. She was very concerned last night & I've heard nothing today.
Misty
 
The second storm really ripped through this area yesterday morning; high gusty winds,not that much rain, but severe power outages. My power just came back up, after being out for over 27 hours, right after I went down to Costco this morning and bought a generator--I was within 30 minutes of having it on-line, when the power came back up. Today's storm is dropping lots of rain here.
 
Many prayers for safety. Homes can be replaced. People can't.
 
Whew, it stopped raining for a bit!

We were lucky. We had a levy break not far from here but my business is dry and OK.

We had a New Year's party and luckily the rain stopped that night so everyone came to our party!

We had heard that the 101 freeway was closed and my business partner and our caterer were in Santa Rosa and needed to travel that way to get here but the news greatly exagerated and the road wasn't closed afterall.

We dodged the bullet this time but I know others weren't so lucky and I wish everyone a quick recovery from this waterlogged week.
 

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