Calaveras Supervisors Hear Update On Flood Damage

San Andreas, CA — The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors held a special meeting today to ratify a local State of Emergency Declaration in response to recent flood damage.

The move opens the door for additional state and potentially federal dollars to help in the cleanup and recovery efforts.

Storm assessment is still ongoing. Office of Emergency Services Director John Osbourn noted that there are at least 25 single-family homes damaged by flooding, 25 apartment units, and three commercial buildings. One of the hardest hit areas was the Cascade Mobile Home Park in Valley Springs. He also stated that six structures were damaged in Murphys when water jumped the creek banks near Murphys Community Park.

Osbourn stressed to the supervisors, “To be completely honest, we had just enough of a break to kind of get caught up, and then we started taking on more weather. (The total damage number presented) is by no means very reflective of the complete damage, and is kind of a thumbnail sketch of what we have been able to get done.”

There was also significant road/culvert damage on White Road, Baldwin Lane, and Highway 26, which will require extensive repairs.

Sandbags remain popular at the 11 locations in which they are available in the county. Osbourn says that an additional 20,000 sandbags were ordered by Public Works and 15,000 more are being sent by CAL OES, adding, “To date, I think we’ve taken in about a hundred tons of sand.”

Members of the board of supervisors praised county staff for their efforts over recent days. The emergency declaration was ratified with a 5-0 vote. The county, and City of Angels Camp, will remain on heightened alert over the coming days in anticipation of any additional flooding impacts.

Calaveras County continues to operate a community phone line for flood information at 209-754-2855.