Sonoma County evacuations still in effect near Russian River despite break in atmospheric river storm
Despite Wednesday's sunny weather, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said that previous evacuation orders along the Russian River prompted by this week's atmospheric river are still in effect.
A Russian River flood warning is in effect until 6 a.m. Thursday for Guerneville and from unincorporated Healdsburg to Jenner, located at 36 feet above the river or below.
As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, the Russian River at Guerneville was at 36.16 feet. A flood warning was still in effect for much of Sonoma County until 10 p.m. Wednesday.
"So about 10:45 we received a call about a vehicle into floodwaters with one person trapped inside," said Karen Hancock of the Sonoma County Fire District. "And here we are, this is our fifth rescue just this morning, our fifth vehicle into flooded waters."
No injuries to report from those incidents but a very busy day for Sonoma County Rescue teams, as the Russian River crested in Guerneville around ten o'clock.
"35 is a moderate Flood stage for the lower area of the Russian river in Guerneville," said Hancock. "And we're just at about 36."
"We just put in a new patio," said Leonora Holmes, owner of the Inn On the Russian River. "Nothing like being on the river."
Holmes saw the forecast, but did not anticipate this much water. The difference of a foot and a half, meant her river-facing guest rooms were affected.
"There's two right there," she said of the flooded rooms. "Then the bathroom. Those are usually our bridal suites. So, I guess we'll be remodeling those this year."
By way of comparison, KPIX was at this very establishment back during the late February flood of 2019, when the river hit 45 feet. That affected the room all the way up to River Road. So, for Holmes, it could have been worse in her first year as owner here.
"I guess we got indoctrinated just like that," Holmes laughed.
"I've been here about five years," said Paul at The Earthsmith Lodge. "And it's never gotten this high."
It was a reminder of how critical that moderate flood stage line can be. The Earthsmith Lodge, for example, saw far less water in November.
"Well I do have a storage unit down here," Paul said. "So, everything below waist level is flooded in."
And at the site of Tuesday's slide, no real changes as the county tries to figure out what is going on with the earth that gave way.
"Yeah, there are people up there," Hancock said of the investigation. "The county has people out there, geologists. Everybody's taking a look, because there are other homes in the area as well. So we want to make sure everybody is safe."
Properties under evacuation order are shown in blue.
A temporary evacuation point has been set up at the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building west parking lot at 1351 Maple Ave. in Santa Rosa.
For more information, people can call 211 or visit https://socoemergency.org/emergency/warnings-and-updates/.
Bay City News contributed to this report.
