Clean-up efforts continue in Planada after recent storm causes creek to overflow

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The storm is long gone but the worst was left behind at Planada Elementary School.

Thursday night heavy rains overflowed the miles creek sending close to seven inches of water into parts of the school, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.

"It's certainly a bad situation and I think everybody understands that, but it also could have been a very worse situation and certainly I think a lot of folks were expecting a much worse situation," said Merced Water Irrigation District Spokesman Mike Jensen.

He says the flooding was actually reduced by one of their canals next to the creek.

"By the fact that that water was held back for a while it allowed a lot of the peak flow to come down and our crews actually went out and cut a hole in the canal back to miles creek allowing that water to drain back out," said Jensen.

According to Jensen, the natural waterway has overflowed in the past from rainfall.

He says even though the creek isn't managed by them, they try help alleviate these situations, but don't have the tools to stop it.

"We certainly participate when there is an emergency operation, we try to do our part, but we are certainly not equipped as a flood control agency, we are an irrigation district," said Jensen.