Crews scramble to repair damaged Tranquillity levee before next storm

FRESNO COUNTY (KFSN) -- Crews from the Tranquillity Irrigation District and Fresno County are working around the clock to cap leaks on a levee that is in danger of breaking.

The weather on Saturday was the first day where crews have been able to make major repairs on the levee. The general manager of the Tranquillity Water District, Danny Wade, says the next 48 hours for his crews are critical.

The past few days, in rainy and windy weather, they've been trying to cap a dozen leaks on a levee near the Fresno slough.

Now that the sun is out, there are signs of progress - like fresh heavy equipment tracks going down levee road.

"We finally got some dry weather," Wade said. "The problem is it was so wet and so slushy, but we're able now to get our heavy equipment out there to a field right next to where the problem is."

To stop water from leaking through, his team of nearly 10 crew members has been using loaders, excavators, and bulldozers.

"You see the dirt there, you see some water that's water coming out of the channel," Wade explained. "It's going into the small drain down below. If that was to continue to run then it would become a very large hole, then it would washout and that's how you can get floods."

In the meantime, roughly 80 homes in the areas of Manning Avenue, James Road, and Tuolumne Avenue remain under a flood advisory. Veronica Fisher found a notice on her front door, and she's preparing to evacuate if necessary.

"I have a suitcase packed, and my husband and I have already planned out," she said. "He is going to take two dogs in his car four cats in my car and we're going to high tail it out here"

But she is also keeping her fingers crossed that crews will be able to cap all of the leaks.

"This is our home and to leave here, what am I going to do while my house sits here by itself?" Fisher exclaimed.

But with the clock ticking until next storm rolls in, crews are running out of time.

With rain expected Sunday, the TID says its workers will try to do as much work as possible. But if it gets too wet to where they can't move their equipment, they will likely have to slow their efforts down.