High water keeps numerous Sonoma County roads, schools closed another day
Numerous Sonoma County roads and highways remained closed Thursday afternoon, more than a dozen school districts canceled class and the Russian River continued to slowly drop, pulling back floodwaters from inundated river communities still isolated by submerged roads.
The extensive flooding led to a state of emergency declaration Thursday by California Gov. Gavin Newsom for Sonoma County, easing the way to disaster aid for local residents.
Patches of blue sky and sun mixed with clouds over the river region Thursday and the forecast called for two days of dry weather, likely helping attitudes and the soggy situation.
The Russian River's slow dropping rate likely means evacuated residents shouldn't expect to get back to their homes before Friday morning. But timing will depend on runoff, river levels, roads and weather, Sonoma County sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Crum said.
This week's storm, with days of pouring rain, jumped into Sonoma County's sixth spot of historic Russian River flood levels, forced evacuations of thousands and caused an early estimate of $25 million in damage and response costs. The river crested late Wednesday night at 45.4 feet in Guerneville.
Although travel through the area remained circuitous or not possible, the storm's worst appeared over by Wednesday. Sonoma County 911 dispatchers reported a relatively quiet Wednesday night in the flood zone, other than a few people needing help after driving into flooded roads and a dramatic rescue of a woman found clinging to a tree after her car sank underwater on Eastside Road.
Once the water has receded from homes and business, more than three dozen county workers will begin checking the structures to determine if they are habitable, Crum said.
County road crews also are prepared to start road cleanup as the water disappears but mud and debris remain. “They're ready to go. As it goes down they will be on top of it,” he said.
2:05 p.m.
GUERNEVILLE - Throughout the morning and afternoon, local residents and business owners began surveying the damage and in areas of town that were made accessible by the receding waters. Where possible, some residents took kayaks, canoes or boats to check on their homes.
Annie Boutelle, 45, the manager of Johnson's Beach, borrowed a friend's kayak to get near her cabin on River Road, just east of Old River Drive. She said 4 or 5 feet of water got into her cabin.
Boutelle, who's lived in Guerneville for 16 years, said she was able to move many of her valuables up into a sleeping loft before she had to evacuate at 2 a.m. Wednesday. She used a small U-Haul truck for the rest of her belongings.
“I wasn't able to get to my rugs, three small bookcases and a dresser,” she said. “I didn't get to anything in the kitchen.”
She said seven other people on her property were flooded out.
By 1 p.m., Bonnie Smith, 70, was sweeping the sidewalk of flood debris in front of the Russian River Art Gallery, where the rising water stopped at the threshold. Smith's dog, Snickers, stood nearby watching passersby and emergency vehicles patrolling the area.
Smith, who lives on a hill on the northeast side of town said she was grateful the gallery had been spared. Inside were paintings, prints, handmade jewelry - everything dry. “It's nice to see the sun for a day or two,” she said.
Next door, Jilla Gauthier, the owner of River Queen Clothing, entered her shop for the first time since Tuesday evening to check the damage. Everything of value in the store had been lifted off the ground.
As she walked across the shop, Gauthier quickly realized water had entered the store from the back of the property.
“The floors are all warped,” she said. “Oh, God, it could have been so much more worse. It looks like I got 3 or 4 inches of water.”
Gauthier said her landlord has flood insurance so the floors will likely be replaced. But her shop's inventory was not insured.
At the nearby Safeway, area district manager Bob Boyette, coordinated a team of local employees and contractors who were preparing the store for possibly reopening Friday. Store employees busily restocked all the merchandise that as a precaution had been moved up from the lowest shelves.
“Other than that we're in pretty good shape,” he said. “We're just getting ready to take care of the community.”
Boyette said the water got within 2 inches of the grocery store's entry. The rising river and nearby Fife Creek flooded much of the parking lot and blocked access to vehicles.
Many of the business on River Road, Guerneville and Rio Nido were hit hard, some of them receiving between 10 and 12 feet of water. National Guard high water vehicles could not get through there for much of the morning and early afternoon.
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