Live Updates: Storm brings hail to Merced. Bear Creek expected to rise Monday
Storm arrives in Merced
2 p.m. Monday
As expected, more rain arrived in Merced after noon today, bringing with it an ample amount of hail.
Merced officials renew pleas to stay away from Bear Creek
10 a.m. Monday
Merced city officials renewed their pleas Monday for residents to stay away from Bear Creek and its bike paths, as the waters are expected to rise this afternoon due to rain.
Jim Bagnall, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford, said the creek is expected to reach a depth of 21.8 feet this afternoon, just barely under the flood stage threshold of 23 feet.
As of Monday morning around 9 a.m. the McKee Road gauge of the creek measured at a depth of around 15 feet.
Bagnall said heavy thunderstorms are expected in Merced this afternoon into the evening, with the weather expected to clear up by Tuesday.
Jennifer Flachman, City of Merced public information officer, said flood warnings remain in effect for many parts of the city.
Flachman said city officials are continuing to monitor the banks of the creek and the bike paths that run along it.
The ground around the creek is extremely saturated with water, plus tree branches are falling in some areas, which could pose a danger.
While no deaths have been reported thus far in Merced County due to flooding, there have been 19 flood-related deaths statewide, some of whom were children.
The Merced area received .32 inches of rain Sunday and .73 inches on Saturday. The weather service estimates the Merced area has received 3.81 inches during the last week, Jan. 8- 15.
Biden grants federal relief
Sunday 10 a.m.
Federal help for those affected by a series of severe storms in California has been approved by the White House.
The Major Disaster Declaration targets federal funding for those in the counties of Merced, Sacramento and Santa Cruz, areas that have been devastated by flooding, mudslides and landslides.
Gov. Gavin Newsom welcomed the help. The governor toured Merced County on Saturday where he spoke with local government officials and displaced residents of the community of Planada who were flooded out of their homes.
“California is grateful for President Biden’s swift approval of this critical support to communities reeling from these ongoing storms,” said Newsom in a statement Sunday. “We’ll continue to work in lockstep with local, state and federal partners to help keep Californians safe and make sure our communities have the resources and assistance they need to rebuild and recover.”
The disaster declaration provides grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help people and business owners recover.
Federal funding also is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in the counties of Merced, Sacramento and Santa Cruz. Additional counties may be included once storm conditions allow state, local and federal officials to safely assess the extent of the damage.
Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585 TTY.
Bear Creek still below flood stage
Sunday 7:00 a.m.
Although forecasters initially predicted Bear Creek would rise above flood stage by Saturday night, fortunately that did not happen.
As of Sunday morning, the Bear Creek gauge at McKee Road measured a depth just under 17 feet. When the creek rises above 23 feet, it’s considered above flood stage.
Will the creek stay below flood stage? Jim Bagnall, forecaster with the National Weather Service in Hanford, said it’s expected to increase to 19 feet by 3 p..m. tomorrow, but that’s still under the flood stage threshold.
Merced was seeing light showers Sunday morning. That’s expected to pick up later today and continue into Monday afternoon.
The Merced area could get up to an inch of rain by then. “Tuesday and beyond looks dry for us into the end of the week,” Bagnall said.
Still, the Merced region is very wet and many areas remain under flood warning. City and county officials have made a point of advising residents to stay away from areas that are flooded and creeks, due to numerous dangers.
While the flooding in Merced County has resulted in no known deaths, there have been 19 statewide, including some who were children.
In the past few days, local, state and federal officials have worked together, focusing their effort on strengthening area levees and creek beds, scrambling to prevent more flooding.
That’s included a Chinook helicopter dropping dirt on heavily damaged areas of Bear Creek and bulldozers with the California Department of Water Resources dropping giant boulders into problem spots.
Applegate Zoo animals evacuated
5 p.m. Saturday
Merced city officials say all animals at the Applegate Zoo were relocate to other locations this week, due to the rainstorms and potential for flooding.
Officials said in a news release that a dedicated team of individuals and organizations transported the animals safely to the Monterey Zoo and other local partners.
The animals will be housed at those locations until they can safely return to Merced.
City officials said the Zoological Disaster Response, Rescue, and Recovery (ZDR3) organization and the Monterey Zoo played a key role in coordinating the evacuation.
U.S. Army Corps Engineers, DWR helping out
4:30 p.m. Saturday
Newsom visits Merced County, talks flood efforts
4:30 p.m. Saturday
Gov. Gavin Newsom was hopeful Saturday that his request for a major disaster declaration from President Joe Biden will happen soon to aid thousands of residents in Merced County who have been driven from their homes by rising flood waters.
“It is my hope and expectation that it will happen and that is the intention of the president,” Newsom said during a news conference at the Merced County fairgrounds. “He has made it clear that he wants to see that happen and I am looking forward to making that announcement more formally.”
The fairgrounds are being used as an evacuation center for Merced County residents who have been displaced by the relentless series of storms drowning parts of California.
For the full story click here.
‘Wall of water’ bursts through levee
11:36 a.m.: A wall of water burst through a levee on Bear Creek in Merced County early Saturday morning, flooding homes and stranding eight horses and a dog.
Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke described the scene Saturday morning, which ended with an Army National Guard Chinook helicopter flying in and a conveyor belt straddling the creek, both bringing supplies to stop the flow of water.
Around 1 a.m., emergency personnel were keeping an eye on two stretches of the creek near Highway 140 near Rogers and Gur roads. One was about 150 long and the other 60 feet long, with the levee about 30 feet tall.
“The entire levee gave out at that point. ... It was gone,” Warnke said. “Literally a wall of water came through there.”
Within 10 minutes about a dozen properties on 5-acre lots were flooded, with water still about hip deep midday, he said. The residents safely evacuated themselves.
Warnke said he gave permission to Merced-based Cen-Cal Trucking to skip the red tape and start repairs.
They tried to install K rails — concrete barriers weighing 8,000 pounds each — but they didn’t work, he said.
“The water was moving so hard and fast ... it looked like they were putting pencils in the water,” he said. “It scooted them out of the way.”
The trucking company erected a large conveyor belt (similar to the type used in quarries) over the water to bring sand and gravel to the broken levee.
“It actually reached clear across the creek and filled that area up,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Army National Guard flew in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter from Stockton carrying giant cube-shaped sandbags about 4-feet by 4-feet to shore up the area.
Eight horses and a dog were rescued from a makeshift barn on one of the properties.
“The horses, the water was clear up to mid belly on them and they had no place to go,” Warnke said. “The dog was standing on its hind legs with one paw against the wall because it was afraid to move.”
The animals were all fine and were taken to an animal rescue operation at the Merced County Fairgrounds.
“The community has been absolutely phenomenal,” he said. “It’s a bad situation but fortunately nobody lost their lives. Now we’re bracing for the second act. Those who are praying for rain, please stop.”
Governor to visit Merced County
11:23 a.m. Saturday: Rain is continuing to pound the Merced area ahead of a scheduled trip by Gov. Gavin Newsom shortly after noon Saturday to visit people affected by flooding.
He is expected to visit with Merced County residents and highlight preparedness efforts by the state of California.
Residents are being warned to stay away from Bear Creek, which is expected to flood again Saturday.
Dump trucks and other large equipment are hauling boulders to the creek to stop flooding, noted Jennifer Flachman, public information officer for the city of Merced.
Friday, city officials were filming a safety video on the bike path near Bear Creek.
“We turned around for maybe a few seconds and portions of the bike path slid into the creek,” she said.
There was no warning and the collapse of the bike path happened relatively quietly, highlighting the how quickly things can turn dangerous, she noted.
“We would like for people to stay out of the Bear Creek area. Stay off the bike paths,” she said. “Please be mindful where you’re walking or driving.”
Chinook helicopter provides help
Meanwhile, on Friday a Chinook helicopter from the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade was used to assist in repairing a large break in Bear Creek near McSwain, according to a Facebook post by Merced County Sheriff’s Office.
Crews worked late into the night to help repair over 160 feet of broken levee, the Sheriff’s Office said, adding that Rep. John Duarte, Supervisor Daron McDaniel, and California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services helped secure the helicopter.
Bear Creek expected to go above flood stage again
Friday noon
National Weather Service forecasters say they expect the most recent round of rainstorms will cause Merced’s Bear Creek to reach flood stage again, most likely by Saturday evening.
The news comes just a few days after heavy rains cause widespread flooding throughout Merced and nearby Planada, causing mandatory evacuations and millions of dollars in property damage.
Light showers began late Friday morning in Merced County, and the storm is expected to grow in intensity into the evening with heavy rain into Saturday morning, according to Jim Bagnall, meteorologist with the National Weather Service Valley office in Hanford.
As of 11:45 a.m. Friday, the gauge in Bear Creek at McKee Road recorded a depth of 11 feet, Bagnall said.
With the downpour of rains, that’s expected to rise above a flood stage of 23 feet by Saturday night.
The weather service expects Merced to receive up to an inch of rain Saturday.
Merced city officials on Friday said they are working to strengthen weak areas of the creek levee. They are asking residents to stay away from those places, as they can pose a danger.
“The previous storm resulted in issues that required the City’s immediate remediation. This work is critical to preparing for the upcoming storm, “ Merced City Manager Stephanie Dietz said in a statement to the Sun-Star.
A flood watch is in effect from 10 a.m. Saturday until 7 a.m. Sunday, according to the weather service. Merced city officials say residents are encouraged to stay off roads, creek areas, waterways, and fast-moving waters during those times.
Bagnall of the weather service said Merced since Oct. 1 has received 10.81 inches of rain, 4.60 inches since Jan. 1 and 2.80 inches in the past week, all of which are above average amounts.
Important resources
Merced city officials say residents should be prepared in the event they need to evacuate. That means gathering household members, pets, personal items, important documents, and prescription medication.
Residents should also:
Pack a change of clothes, nonperishable foods, water, extra batteries, flashlights, and phone chargers.
Prepare to evacuate to a safe location.
Prepare your home. Elevate and anchor utilities, waterproof your basement, clear debris from gutters, elevate or move your furniture.
Register for Subscribe Merced to receive up-to-date storm related information from the City of Merced.
Sandbag locations are listed at countyofmerced.com/sandbags.
Merced County has set up a flood hotline at (209) 385-7563. Residents can call the hotline for sandbag information, flood evacuation warnings, mandatory flood evacuation locations, shelter locations, road closures, family reunification support, and additional flood resources.
Xfinity has opened up hotspots across its California footprint throughout the storm emergency. Visit, california.comcast.com/2023/01/13/comcast-opens-free-xfinity-wifi-hotspots-to-support-residents-during-storms/
For more information about evacuation preparedness visit ready.gov/evacuation and floodsmart.gov/first-prepare-flooding.
