Flood advisory issued for Tranquillity as crews monitor levee

TRANQUILLITY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Shane Mehling had a letter posted on his front door Friday-- a flood advisory warning him the levee a mile away from his home is on the verge of breaking.

"We're in the jurisdiction of the map they drew up of where it's going to flood. It's a little alarming but what do you do."

Within hours of getting that notice Mehling started preparing-- in the event he, his wife, and two kids are forced to load up in the family SUV and leave.

"We packed up everything and have everything ready to go, so when they tell us it's ready to break we're ready to go."

The levee sits in the area of the Fresno Slough where the San Joaquin River and Kings River meet.

The Fresno County Sheriff's Office said it's weakening, likely because of dry weather that over time debilitated the structure.

"There's been several breaks already over the last couple days and one earlier today that they have already patched up," said Lt. John Reynolds, Fresno County Sheriff's Office.

Nearly 80 homes in the areas of Manning Avenue, James Road, Tuolumne Avenue, and the Fresno Slough are in danger.

"If it breaks and continues to flow and they are not able to get on top of it, we believe that the water-- it will be hours to several hours to 12 hours to reach Jefferson Avenue," said Reynolds.

Fresno County's Public Works Department, Cal Fire, and the California Office of Emergency Services, along with the Sheriff's Office, are monitoring the conditions of the failing levee-- which is filled with about two to three feet of water.

And while they're doing that, Monique Rolon at Tranquility Market is praying for her customers,

"It's a small community so everybody knows each other and everybody feels for another."

Rolon is hoping potential flooding will not keep them out for too long.

"When people start leaving it's definitely going to slow down business so that's a concern."

Now the big question is how much water will flood this area? The Fresno County Sheriff's Office said it is not going to be a large amount like what would be expected if it were a dam, but it will be enough to cause considerable flooding.