Floodwaters Recede In California

Wine Country Residents Roll Up Sleeves, Start Cleaning Up The Mud

(CBS/AP)  Most rivers and streams throughout California had receded back below flood stage Tuesday following a pair of severe storms, allowing residents and officials to clean up and assess the damage.

As soon as the water receded on 4th Street, Dave Roberts began hosing the mud off his bar and sweeping sludge out the doors, vowing to start serving beers again within hours.

The owner of Wild Jane's Bar and Restaurant seemed to take the flooding — which had drenched his business in 2½ feet of water and forced locals to paddle down the street in a canoe just the night before — all in stride.

"We're used to this," said Roberts, a 20-year resident of this town along the Russian River who had survived worse flooding before. "After all, it's just mud and water, easily cleaned."

Joy Veninga of Guernville disagrees: She is expecting a terrible mess. "It's going to be filthy. It's going to stink for probably months afterwards," she told KCBS Radio.

But before anyone is allowed back home, road inspectors will make sure it is safe. Flooding has undermined a number of roadways, and even one bridge, reports KCBS's Tim Ryan.

While Northern California recovered from the severe weather, heavy rain followed by snow had turned to ice on highways across northern Nevada, creating hazardous driving conditions and dozens of accidents Tuesday morning. No major accidents or injuries were reported.

"It's a skating rink out there," Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Eddie Bowers said.

The weekend storms had dumped up to 8 inches of rain in places, swelling streams and washing mud down hills and onto homes and highways. Levees were breached or weakened, forcing evacuations of dozens of residents. At least three deaths were blamed on the storm — all from falling trees.

The break in the weather Monday meant residents of Guerneville and other wine country towns finally were able to focus on initial cleanup and damage estimates, after two powerful weekend storms dumped up to 10 inches of rain in some parts.

Rivers flooded and sent water gushing into towns. Rain washed mud down hills and onto homes and highways. Levees breached or weakened and forced evacuations of dozens of residents. At least three deaths were blamed on the storm — all from falling trees.

Firefighters had trouble fighting a structure fire in Monte Rio in Sonoma County because of flooding.

"They had to bring hoses in on boats, and then they had to attack the fire off of boats, because there was no place to bring the fire engines, Fire Chief Dan Levinson said.

On Monday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in seven counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Napa, Sacramento, Sonoma and Trinity. Initial estimates put the damage in two towns alone at more than $100 million.

He also promised local officials help was on the way.

"It's all about quick action. Action, action, action," the ex-actor said.

In California's mountains, the word was snow, snow, snow," reports CBS News correspondent Vince Gonzales. Bad news for drivers, but good news for resorts and skiers who may benefit the most from this latest winter storm.

Maybe not.

Heavy snow fell across the Sierra Nevada on Monday, from Lake Tahoe south to the Mammoth Mountain ski resort, where several avalanches shut down Highway 395, the main north-south route along the eastern Sierra, said John Rutkowski of the Mono County Sheriff's Department.