Flooding prompts road closures around Lake County; more rain expected Tuesday night
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Continued rainfall, a rising lake level and saturated ground led to flooding of some Lake County roadways on Tuesday.
Late Tuesday afternoon, the National Weather Service’s observation stations around Lake County indicated that rainfall across the county over the previous 48 hours ranged from nearly 3.5 inches in Upper Lake to more than 9 inches in Whispering Pines near Cobb.
Shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday, the US Geological Survey’s gauge on Clear Lake indicated the lake’s level was 8.37 feet Rumsey, a rise of about three-quarters of a foot in 24 hours. Flood stage is 9 feet Rumsey and above.
The National Weather Service is anticipating more rain on Tuesday night – up to 2 inches – and into Wednesday. All of Lake County remains under a wind advisory until noon on Wednesday and a flood warning until Thursday night.
The Lake County Public Works Department’s most recent report on road conditions, issued just before 5 p.m. Tuesday, said the following roads are closed:
Kelseyville
Argonaut Road: Closed between Big Valley Road and Thomas Drive.
Bell Hill: Closed at Adobe Creek low water crossing due to flooding.
Clark Drive: Closed from Soda Bay Road to Gaddy Lane due to flooding.
Lakeport
Scotts Valley Road: Closed from Highway 20 to packing sheds due to flooding.
Soda Bay Road: Closed from Stone Drive to Cal Packing Road due to Adobe Creek jumping the bank and; closed from Big Valley Road to Highway 175/S. Main Street.
Lower Lake
Candy Lane: Closed to all traffic between Joseph Trail and May Hollow Road due to a culvert failure. This will be an extended closure as work to fix cannot commence until the water stops flowing.
Middletown
Dry Creek Cutoff: Closed at the low water crossing
Nice
Lakeshore Drive: Closed from Stokes Avenue to Hammond Avenue due to flooding.
Upper Lake
Laurel Dell Road: Closed to two-way traffic from Scotts Valley Road to Mid Lake Road due to flooding.
Scotts Valley Road: Closed from Highway 20 to packing sheds due to flooding.
On Hill Road near Lakeside Heights, the road remains open to two-way traffic, but Lake County Public Works said it anticipates that the slide will jump the K-rails at some point on Tuesday night, night, closing one lane of the roadway.
Lake County Public Works said Highland Springs Road remains open despite a mudslide at mile post marker 5.5.
In the city of Lakeport, officials said Esplanade Street flooded on Tuesday and was closed.
In neighboring Sonoma County, authorities issued an evacuation order for many communities along the Russian River, which is forecast to go above flood stage at 6 p.m. Tuesday and to crest 46.1 feet at 10 p.m. Wednesday. Evacuation shelters are being opened at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts and the Sonoma County Fairgrounds Grace Pavilion.
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