As weather heats up, flooding problems get worse along Kings River

REEDLEY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Driving into the River Bend RV Park near Minkler has become treacherous-- at best, the water is right up to people's homes. At worst, they live on the other side of a flooded bridge, where Fresno County Sheriff's deputies are now enforcing a mandatory evacuation.

"I grabbed a little bit of things I need and left the rest because I mean, it was that bad," said Kenneth Hill, evacuated from RV Park.

Hill got out Monday night and came to Reedley where the Red Cross set up a shelter in the high school gym. He said it is far more comfortable than his soaked trailer, but even here, he is not far away from the swollen Kings River.

"I've never seen it this full before. It's the first time I've seen it close to full," said Gilbert Hignojoz, Reedley.

Cricket Hollow Park is shut down because of water levels unseen in at least a decade. And at the back of the park, the river is only about 20 yards from the Reedley Animal Shelter. Police are coming up with contingency plans in case the facility floods.

On Kings River Road, sheriff's deputies are telling everyone to prepare to evacuate. At the end of the road sits The Wakehouse, which took over for Kelly's Beach in 2015. Red, white, and blue markers show the river is about 10 feet deep just off shore and the patio where they hold concerts is underwater.

The rock band Everclear is scheduled to perform there on July 15th and the owners said the show will go on, one way or another-- but the summer fun season is stuck in a water delay.

"I know everybody's really concerned about when the river is going to open. It's a scary situation right now, so as soon as we know something we'll let y'all know," said Preston Baker, The Wakehouse.

The Army Corps of Engineers is releasing more water from Pine Flat Dam right now than it has in six years, but a spokesman tells me they expect the snowmelt to reach its peak Tuesday.

Even so, flooding in designated floodways like this one could last a few more weeks.