Madera County residents worried as San Joaquin River creeps near mobile home park

MADERA COUNTY (KFSN) -- Water levels in Madera County continue to rise and various markers at the Wildwood Mobile Home Park show just how high the water has gotten.

Concerned homeowners watched Friday as levels from the San Joaquin River inched closer and closer to submerging their backyards.

"Yes, we are worried, but we're taking measures," resident Curtis Randles said. "We keep in contact with the people that run the dam up there, they keep us informed."

Flows at Millerton Lake remain up thanks to Friday's storm. And with more water coming in than going out, Friant Dam officials are expected to release more water into the San Joaquin River over the weekend.

"Tomorrow, they're releasing 1,000 cubic foot per minute and the following day another thousand," Randles said. "We're at 76 to 78. So, do the math, a little under 10,000."

The last time neighbors experienced anything like this was two decades ago, and the same can be said up the road at the San Joaquin Fish Hatchery. Officials there are monitoring levels to keep their production safe.

"The '97 to '98 water year was really high and this facility did flood," Brian Beal with the hatchery said. "We lost a lot of the fish. We have a better plan as the water goes up, we know how to stage the equipment and get it into a safe location."

Madera County Sheriff's deputies will remain at Wild Wood around the clock in case levels get too high and residents are forced to evacuate at a moments notice.

"I'm sure we'll get an evacuation notice if the roads start filling up, but the jury is still out if we'll evacuate or not," Randles said.