Mariposa County officials getting ready for more storms and possibly more flooding

MARIPOSA COUNTY (KFSN) -- Crews worked throughout the day Wednesday to clear the water and debris brought on by the downpour of rain earlier in the week. The storm flooded roadways while debris clogged drains.

Bob Pickard of High Country Market said he experienced it first hand when he noticed the water rising quickly.

"Probably in 15 minutes, the water started filling the parking lot almost instantly."

Pickard said the drain was filled with silt turning the lot into a lake.

"We've had a couple of significant rain events, but nothing to this degree."

Pickard is one of the luckier ones-- another business is now closed permanently after a failing culvert caused the floor of a detail shop to rise and split in two.

Calfire along with the Mariposa County Sheriff and Fire Department are helping clear the area while surveying for more damage. Just last week's storms have already raked up almost a million dollars in damage.

"We found one bridge completely blown out on Indian Peak and several embankments and roadway approaches were also damaged," said Gary Brown, Mariposa County Engineer.

The county Sheriff's Office of emergency services is activated and the department is preparing for more storms later this week.

"I've continued to maintain that team and planning to maintain that team to help coordinate to respond to continued water events in the county throughout the remainder of the next few days "said Sheriff Doug Binnewies, Mariposa County Sheriff.

Pickard said he is also taking some precautions of his own-- laying out sandbags, and hoping for the best.

"Keep our fingers crossed that all these provisional measures-- begin to work."