Flooding, Road and School Closures, and More, Storm Continues to have Extreme Impacts

Flooding continues into another day, as of this morning, evacuation warnings are still in place for homes along the Middle fork of the feather river from Sloat to Graeagle. Plumas county sheriff Todd Johns says he anticipates flooding only worsening as snow melts and more rain is received with the next round of storms set to hit Friday. The sheriff also cautions travel in the evening hours, as multiple small streams have spilled over roadways, making navigating in the dark difficult. Johns also detailed that slide activity can be seen by the hour, adding that you should use extra caution traveling through the areas burn scars.

Evacuation centers are being established throughout the county as well for those affected. Those locations have yet to be announced. Sandbags can also be picked up to prepare for the incoming rain. Two new locations have been added; 200 bags are filled and are available in Graeagle, and another up to 200 can be picked up at 120 Main street in Portola. Sandbags are still available at the FRC baseball field parking lots in Quincy and at both Fire Halls in Chester and Greenville.

Due to the continued evacuation warnings, Plumas Unified School District Superintendent Bill Roderick says Portola school closures will remain in place today. All other PUSD schools are scheduled to be open on time.

Currently affected roads from flooding this morning include:

SR-89 at Clio, as of last evening, the river was approaching the road edge.
SR-89, south of Calpine has approximately 10 inches of water on the highway.
Chandler Road at Oakland Camp Road is impassable.
In Lassen county, localized flooding is present near Hog Flat reservoir, on the cut-off road in Litchfield, and south of the feed store.
CHP also reported flooding on Wingfield road a mile and a half east of Old Archery rd.

Concern for snow load is also an added threat. Lake Almanor’s peninsula fire protection district shared a recent snow sample as snowpack rooftops absorb the rain. The department says an initial survey found 100 pounds per foot, and this round, they shared that with the rain, there is less snow height, but the snow load is still roughly 99 pounds per square foot.

Plumas sheriff Johns has shared several buildings lost due to collapsing from the weight of snow, mainly sheds and outbuildings, yet Johns says there are signs you can watch for, including difficulty closing windows and doors.
If you have concerns, you are advised to consult a contractor, as individual homes will vary on total snow load capacity.

Plumas County Administrative Officer Debra Lucero has also announced that the county has a damage claim form for citizens to fill out since the county is part of the state and federal declaration of a state of emergency due to winter storms. The claims can be made for the months of February/March. You can find the form on the county’s website.