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Local State of Emergency Declared Due to Winter Storms
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Local State of Emergency Declared Due to Winter Storms
Officials Say Declaration Will Help Access Funds for Repairs
By Debbie Friedman
The “Kona Low” and upper level trough in the eastern Pacific, responsible for the constant onslaught of storms that battered the Central Coast, has finally broken apart, according to Steve Anderson, Forecaster for the National Weather Service.
“The rain we experienced last weekend was part of a typical springtime weather pattern. We should have sunny and warm days this week, at least through Wednesday,” Anderson said, referring to early April.
While this is good news for a County in desperate need of a chance to dry out, the sun came out too late to stop County officials from declaring a state of emergency. Susan Mauriello, County Administrative Officer and Director of Emergency Services, declared a local emergency due to winter storm damage. This is the first step in a process to request State and Federal reimbursement for storm related damage. Current damage totals are approximately $6 million in road damage and more than $3 million to private properties.
Bob Benjamin, Forecaster with the National Weather Service, said the area has received about 150 percent of its normal rainfall for the season.
“What is very unusual and quite excessive is the number of days it has rained,” he said.
For the month of March, Felton recorded 25 out of 31 days of rainfall totaling 16.22 inches. Santa Cruz came in with 18 days at 10.99 inches. April also started off wet and didn’t have a dry day until Apr. 6, soon followed by more rain. Benjamin said the number of wet days could easily be record setting, but some of the stations, including Felton, have only recently started keeping official records.
Keeping the Roads Open
Highways throughout the County are in need of constant repair as they give way to the saturated ground. Caltrans has been on 24-hour storm watch for Highway 9 and Highway 17, using any spare time to fill potholes and make road repairs.
Susana Zavala, Caltrans spokesperson said, “Our crews have been responding to downed trees and minor slides. We need some dry days to get ahead of the work.”
As of Apr. 13, Caltrans reported that Highway 9 had reopened in both directions at Glen Arbor Road. Highway 152 opened on Apr. 14.
Highway 17 has remained open during the storms for the most part, with the exception of Monday, Apr. 3, as northbound Highway 17 near Granite Creek Road was closed for over two hours because of falling trees. It took crews over two hours to get one lane clear and open the highway again by noon. Traffic backed up for over two miles and both lanes were not opened until 2:30 p.m.
County Roads
May Take Years to Repair
John Presleigh, Santa Cruz Public Works, expressed serious concerns about the roads throughout the County.
“The storm impacts on County roads this season have been in the multi-million dollar range,” he said.
Numerous rockslides and slip-outs are continuing to affect roads throughout the County. Five roads in the unincorporated area of Santa Cruz County are currently closed with an additional 13 roads listed with limited access. Closed roads include portions of Hazel Dell, Shulties, Amesti, Vine Hill, and El Rancho Drive.
Seven homes have been “red-tagged” and posted unsafe to occupy for geologic reasons. Joe Hanna, Geologist for Santa Cruz County, explained that the break in the weather allows areas to dry out. He did, however, caution that the next two to three months will increase the risk for larger landslides due to the high moisture content in the ground should rains continue.
“I am basically optimistic that the rainy season is closing and that is a good thing,” Hanna said.
County geotechnical staff will continue field inspections and assessments with some slide areas continuing to move.
Santa Cruz County is not alone, as the rain has caused problems throughout the state.
A weather-related death was reported on Apr. 12 in Mill Valley as the body of 73-year-old Walter Guthrie was recovered from a mudslide that buried his home. Two levee breaks in the Merced area of the Central Valley forced evacuations from residential neighborhoods and put farmland underwater. A hillside in the Broadmoor area of San Francisco threatened to give way and the neighborhood was issued a voluntary evacuation order. And Highway 1, at Devil’s Slide south of San Francisco is closed indefinitely due to multiple rockslides.
For information about road conditions, closures, or to report road problems, contact Santa Cruz County Public Works at 831-454-3999 or visit the County online at www.sccroadclosure.org. You can also reach Caltrans at 1-800-427-ROAD or see Caltrans online at www.dot.ca.gov.
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