Update: Evacuation order issued for part of the town of Crows Landing
6:40 p.m. update: A Sheriff’s Office spokesman reports that residents who are evacuating and need to relocate horses, goats, sheep and other small animals should call 209-552-3880 for information on how to do so.
In a video update posted about 6 p.m., Sheriff Jeff Dirkse said about 2.5 inches of rain on the coastal range is contributing to the flooding of creeks on the county’s West Side, including Orestimba, Del Puerto and Ingram creeks. “Do not be stupid” and drive around road barricades, he said. Doing so puts in jeopardy not only the drivers but emergency personnel who have to rescue those who become stranded.
Also, he warned, don’t “backhoe out” levees and canal banks. At least one resident took it upon himself to do so, and that’s also contributing to flooding. Crews are using sandbags to repair the damage, Dirkse said.
3:10 p.m. update: StanEmergency has announced evacuation orders and warnings for part of the town of Crows Landing. The ORDER is for residents east of Highway 33, west of Moran Road, between Ike Crow Road and just south of Eastin Road. Due to canal water levels rising and flooding in the area, residents are asked to collect their belongings and evacuate the area immediately.
The evacuation warning is for residents west of Highway 33, east of Medlin Road, between Ike Crow Road and just south of Eastin Road.
2:20 p.m. update: The Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services announced at 1 p.m. Monday an evacuation warning for the Modesto area east of South Ninth Street and west of Avon Street between River Road and the Tuolumne River. The evacuation warning is for any residents and businesses in that area.
Sheriff’s deputies are contacting affected residents. An evacuation shelter was opened Monday at 2 p.m. at the Salvation Army Red Shield, 1649 Las Vegas St. Call 209-552-3880 for information.
Original story: Flooding closed — or kept closed — roads across Stanislaus County and created other hazards for drivers Monday.
Many of the closures were in the Newman and Patterson areas on the county’s West Side, where the swollen San Joaquin River remains a concern.
In the Newman area, closures included Eastin Road from Stuhr Road to Highway 33, Jorgensen Road from Anderson to Stuhr, Bell Road from Stuhr to Fink, Haile Road from Anderson to Stuhr, River Road from Crows Landing to Hills Ferry Road, and Hills Ferry Road from Stuhr to the county line.
Shortly before 8 a.m., the California Highway Patrol’s Modesto office warned on its Facebook page of “significant flooding on SR-33. Specifically at the intersections of Gaffery, Hamilton, Baldwin and Marshall Roads. Motorists should avoid traveling on SR-33. Be mindful conditions are changing by the minute. Do not attempt to drive into a body of water you cannot negotiate the depth.”
According to the Sheriff’s Office’s morning storm status report, Patterson area road closures included Vineyard Avenue between Condit and Loquat and, except to local traffic, Del Puerto Canyon Road from Diablo Grande to the county line.
In the Oakdale area, Dunton Road was closed from Milton Road to Highway 4, and Carter Road was closed from 26 Mile Road to the county line.
East of Denair, Montpelier Road from Whitmore Avenue to Keyes Road was closed. And in the La Grange area, Cooperstown Road was closed from Willms Road to J59.
Live updates of road closures, as well as information on shelter locations, sandbag locations and more, is on county Office of Emergency Services’ dashboard at bit.ly/3XALRdF.
The dashboard also has information on waterways, including that the San Joaquin River in the Newman area is at action stage. It was at 64.3 feet, and flood stage is 69.4, but the flow was “flat,” trending neither up nor down, according to the storm status report.
As of 10 a.m. Monday, 1.17 inches of rain had been measured by the Modesto Irrigation District. That followed 0.36 inches that fell Sunday, most of it late at night.
In north Modesto, Claratina Road was closed for a time Monday morning between McHenry Avenue and Lifescapes Drive when a driver crashed into a utility pole and took down a power line. On nearby Dragoo Park Drive, and likely in other neighborhoods, backed-up rainwater flooded the street and extended well up driveways.
Though the National Weather Service’s seven-day forecast for Modesto included a 30% chance of showers Monday night, a flood advisory was set to end at noon.
Tuesday is expected to be mostly sunny after patchy fog in the morning. Wednesday brings a predicted 60% chance of showers after 4 p.m. and continuing into early Thursday. Up to a quarter inch of rain is expected.
Thursday through Sunday are likely to be mostly sunny to sunny.
This story was originally published January 16, 2023 at 10:49 AM.
