PG&E building wall around Corcoran substation ahead of snowmelt

KINGS COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Crews have been raising the levee around Corcoran in preparation for the snowmelt.

As the days get warmer and the snow melts in the high Sierra, concern about how much water will fill the Tulare Lake Basin continues.

Since March, Corcoran City Manager Greg Gatzka says it's been all hands on deck to create a plan and protect the community.

Part of that plan is raising the 14-and-a-half-mile-long long levee by 3-and-a-half feet.

"It's well underway, but it's still less than a quarter completely done," said Corcoran City Manager Greg Gatzka.

He says there was an important meeting with the Department of Water Resources and CAL OES on Tuesday.

" They are immediately looking at bringing in erosion control measures to fortify the water side of the levee, which is highly important," explained Gatzka.

Within Corcoran city limits is also a Pacific Gas and Electric Company substation.

PG&E is taking action to protect it, even though officials say it has a low risk of being impacted by flood water.

"We are going to construct an 8-foot barrier out of two layers of Hesco flood barriers," said Denny Boyles with PG&E.

Boyles says he wants to alert residents that just because work will be underway doesn't mean the community is in danger.

"It doesn't mean anything more than we are acting in an abundance of caution. We are actively watching water levels change, and we want to prepare just in case the water does come here because once it comes, it's too late," Boyles said.

Gatzka says if water rises to a certain level, there could be an evacuation order, but until then, residents should not be concerned when they see all of the work underway around them.

There is no exact date for when work will begin at this substation.

Crews must complete the walls at the substations in Angiola and Alpaugh first.

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