Fresno County flood response team prepares for snowmelt impact
FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Authorities are warning you to stay away from overflowing rivers in Fresno County during the current heatwave, but the rising water levels are also posing a real threat to homes and other property.
"Trust us more water is coming and what you see now in the Kings River, what you see in the San Joaquin River that's the lowest it's going to be for a while," said Lt. Brandon Pursell, Fresno County Sheriff's Office.
The Fresno County Flood Response Operations Group or FROG is working its way through the county monitoring water levels and flooding as the snowpack begins to melt. The team includes the Sheriff's Office, the Office of Emergency Services, CalFire, the County Administrative Office, and other state and local agencies. Those involved call it an "all hands on deck" situation.
"We're continuing to watch it every day, we have people flying overhead with drones, with the sheriff's department helicopters out doing different things, they always go and run the rivers for us to get current pictures to see what it's like," saif Terri Mejorado, Emergency Manager Fresno County Office of Emergency Services.
Thursday teams visited the Riverbend R-V Park in Sanger. Residents said the teams have been in daily, if not multiple times a day checking in and giving them information. The community is already under an evacuation warning. Concerns are growing as water continuously flows over a bridge in the neighborhood and water creeps closer to homes.
"This bridge, they keep telling us it could fall at any moment, that's what the managers say, they don't know how long it's going to hold up," said Taylor Warkentin, Riverbend RV Park resident. "That doesn't make us feel too safe because it's the only access in and out."
People have made efforts to try to protect their homes, but the water continues to creep beyond its banks.
"If we don't see some significant improvements to the bridges and some of these other infrastructures that are preventing these homes from getting flooded, it's very likely we'll have to evacuate this," said Pursell.
Sandbags laid out to prevent flooding, now sit underwater. Teams involved say they can prepare, but there's only so much they can do to stop the water.
"At the end of the day, water is going to win," said said Pursell. "If there's enough water, it's going to win and we're getting close to that point in some of these areas."
The water is expected to continue to rise into July. If evacuation orders are issued, the county will set up trailers at the fairgrounds to house people until the flood waters recede.
