Submerged in Sebastopol: Residents Boat Through Flooded Neighborhoods
SEBASTOPOL (KPIX) -- Floodwaters from the Laguna de Santa Rosa wetlands are slowly starting to recede in Sebastopol revealing a line of debris on the ground that's a reminder of just how high the flooding reached.
At the heart of the flood damage is the Barlow shopping district. That's where Community Market is.
"It got to about 4 to 5 inches, so that was pretty good, everybody expected it to be about knee deep. So we're pretty happy with that," said Minkoff Timpe of Community Market.
On Wednesday, homeowners watched with dread as the Laguna de Santa Rosa finally crested and they wondered if they'd be the next to evacuate.
"It was really quiet and still ... just watching (the water) covering the sidewalk and vehicles," said Harriet Smith.
Despite warnings of fresh water mixing with sewage, folks were out in kayaks, canoes and paddle-boards -- out to see their town from a different angle.
For some in Sebastopol, the flood did provide something besides unwanted water -- an eerie quiet.
"This is Highway 12 that I'm standing on and there's usually a thousand cars starting at about 3 p.m. using this thoroughfare," said Stessa Thompson. "It's kinda quiet and everyone's walking around."