The Russian River has risen higher than anticipated and is already above flood stage as of Friday evening, as Sonoma County has been severely affected by the atmospheric river storm.
The first forecast for the Russian River was just off Rafael Alvarez’s property border. He had to relocate his vintage Mercedes automobile to higher ground on Friday due to the increasing water.
Alvarez told CBS News Bay Area, “I was fortunate to have a tow rope so that I could pull it out of the water.” “Because the water was right through the doors.”
The “Huge difference,” he said. “Because two feet either way, when it comes over the bank, then the rest of the water will go into the flatland.”
How quickly it happened is far more amazing than the water’s height.
The river was just over five and a half feet deep on Tuesday, and at the time, it was predicted that the storm system would raise the water level to roughly twenty-five feet. That prediction has been surpassed.
“It went from about six feet to approaching 30 feet right now,” Tom Patton, who was observing from the Forestville Bridge, stated.
Karen Hancock of the Sonoma County Fire District told CBS News Bay Area that “it was going to be about 34 on the last predictive model that I saw.” “And 35 feet when we see moderate flooding here in the lower Russian River area.”
“It is right at that line,” Hancock continued. Therefore, whether it continues depends on what the storm system and rain system do. It has let up a little bit, we’re in light rain right now, but it hasn’t really stopped raining at all. All of the water must therefore float here to the river from the higher heights. It does take a while to arrive here.
With the river expected to stay below that critical mark of 35 feet, it means the river itself isn’t the top concern; it’s all the creeks that have to drain into it.
“This area here is the lowest elevation in Guerneville,” Wendy clarified. “It’s called Submarine Flats.”
Locals can say exactly what happens as the water reaches specific marks, which roads get closed, which basements will be flooded.
“Yeah there’s 12 or 13 houses down here and everybody has a little routine,” she replied. “Mostly putting the cars up away, opening your garage door, securing your trash bins.”
So it’s not a particularly abnormal event, to see the water this high. But off of two days’ worth of rain, on the very first storm system of the year, it has grabbed attention.
“It was only lucky that it’s so early in the season because there’s plenty of places for water to go right now,” Denise said, watching the creeks rise and her forest film neighborhood. “The river wasn’t full. The creeks were completely dry when the storm started and now.”
“I don’t think I don’t think in that short of time, have we ever gotten this kind of rain,” Alvarez said. “Between Santa Rosa and the coast. I mean, we normally get a lot of rain. But not in that short period of time.”
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