Record precipitation year in the Sierras; storms hit locally
The wettest year on record may have wreaked some havoc on infrastructure and agriculture in Yuba-Sutter, according to officials.
The record? It varies by what part of the state you’re talking about, but the Northern Sierra Precipitation 8-Station Index on Thursday recorded a record-breaking 89.7 inches of rainfall since Oct. 1. The previous record was 88.5 inches during the 1983 rainy season.
And this year’s rain isn’t likely to let up soon, with storms continuing to move into the area until next week, according to the National Weather Service in Sacramento.
Tomato, sunflower and corn planting has been delayed because of the consistent rainfall, Sutter County Agricultural Commissioner
Lisa Herbert said.
“Any ground that needs to be worked up right now is not getting worked up,” Herbert said. “(Growers are) two to three weeks late.”
Yuba County Agriculture Commissioner Stephen Scheer said growers need at least two weeks of dry weather to work their acreage. In Yuba County, the primary concern is if rice growers will have enough time to plant before June.
“They like to get in there and plant rice in May,” Scheer said. “We’ve dealt with wet springs before; this is just different because the whole year has been wet.”
Some county roadways often traveled for agricultural purposes have fallen into disrepair in Yuba-Sutter.
“We don’t have the best road system,” said Public Works Superintendent Mike Bailey.
“We do have some older roads that have been coming apart with the weather.”
Yuba County Public Works has laid about 400 tons of patchwork material since January to keep roads operable, he said.
“They’re all passable,” he said. “It’s just patching potholes because when it rains it knocks the patches out.”
Yuba County has applied for Federal Emergency Management Agency funding to repair some of the 650 miles of road within county limits. The county is waiting for FEMA to evaluate the reported roadways.
“In my 30 years, this is the most rain I’ve ever seen with the most damage,” Bailey said.
“It’s just that it’s been nonstop. You think you’re going to get a break and our roads are going to dry out a bit, but then comes another storm rolling in.”
Sutter County reinvigorates the roadways with oil in the summer to weatherproof and increase tire traction, said Neal Hay, the interim assistant director of developmental services for Sutter County Public Works.
“There has been some shoulders – the gravel and material on the shoulders – that have essentially washed away that we’ll have to restore,” Hay said.
“As far as the asphalt itself I would say the roads have held up pretty well.”
A majority of damage to Sutter County roadways has come from heavy construction traffic associated with levee work along the Sacramento and Feather rivers, he said.
Michael Bessette, Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency Director of Engineering, said their levees have held up well during the current rainy season.
“There are areas along the Feather River west levee that experienced signs of distress (seepage, boils), but those were in segments of levee that have not yet been improved by SBFCA,” Bessette said in an email.
Levee District 1 General Manager Andrew Stresser said most of the damage came as a result of rapid river elevation fluctuations from the Oroville Dam outflow.
“When those levees become saturated and those water levels drop rapidly it takes the levee materials with it and it can cause significant damage,” Stresser said.
Both the SBFCA and Levee District 1 will be requesting FEMA aid to pay for repair expenses.
“This is an extensive amount of water this year; you compound that with the issue at the Oroville Dam, it’s unique,” Stresser said.