Repair work continues as businesses flooded by the Kings River get back to normal

KINGSBURG, Calif. (KFSN) -- As golfers tee up on the practice greens at the Kings River Golf and Country Club it is hard to imagine less than two months ago flood waters forced them to shut down. The course may be up and running but the repair work continues.

"We're still shoring up the levee on 18, which is the only place that it broke. Since the river is receding there isn't any more seepage coming up like we did," said John Creaney, Head Golf Professional.

Between revenue lost and necessary repair work the flooding caused roughly $100,000 in damage.

Creaney took us on a tour of the greens that at one point looked like an extension of the Kings River.

"I hadn't realized how invasive and deep in some spots it ultimately was."

Creaney said it took 10 days to repair the levee enough to pump water out.

"It's about a 20 foot wide area that just collapsed because of the weight of the water."

The river also came in and completely flooded a parking lot. That day Pine Flat Dam's peak outflow reached almost 15,000 cubic feet per second.

"A big part of it was less about getting the golf course open and more about protecting home owners on the property," said Creaney.

Also 90 homes on the property were threatened.

Creaney said it was the first responders and community support that aided in protecting the homes and getting the course up and running again.

The club is working with state and local officials to prepare for the possibility of another flood.

The department of water resources said Pine Flat Dam is 85-percent full with its release down to just over 6,600 cubic feet per second.