The threat of more wet weather in the valley raises concerns over flooding

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fear of flooding has folks like April Villanueva filling up sandbags.

"I don't want to wake up and find I have a flood in my house."

Villanueva is among those who have taken advantage of the free sandbags offered by the city of Clovis.

"We just don't guarantee that they are all filled, you might have to come prepared to fill your own bag," said Rob Rush, City of CLovis Utilities.

Villanueva filled 10 bags, hauled them home and put them along the edge of her patio to keep the water and critters that can flood her backyard out of the house.

"It floods so much we get a pond back there and we get a whole bunch of frogs that go and swim in that pond of water."

Bigger ponds, ponding basins also fill up when it rains. So the Metropolitan Flood Control district is pumping to keep the basins at just the right level.

"Its encroached into some of our storage capacity that we like to have on reserve and so we are starting to turn on the pumps and move the water out of the community as we speak. We are also looking for other places to put water, to hold it," said Alan Hofmann, Metropolitan Flood Control District.

The ponding basins also serve to recharge the underground water supply. So the goal is not to pump them dry, but to make enough room for whatever rain is expected.

"We anticipate a pretty good storm coming in this weekend on Sunday so we are making sure we are prepared for it," said Hofmann.

Pumps were going at construction sites, where the excess water stalled work.

More water is expected, which at least means more fun for the frogs.

"Especially when the whole back yard gets flooded and they have a fun time because they have the whole back yard to themselves to swim," said Villanueva.

Fresno city crews have also been doing some pumping to get ready for more rain, but so far, the water has drained and not caused significant problems.