PROJECT ALERT NOTICE (CA) California experiencing a wave of AR storms—Continued, Day 5

Date: Sun, 08 Jan 2017 12:50:32 EST

Summary: Multiple atmospheric rivers are expected to bring heavy rainfall and snow to many parts of California this weekend and into next week.

Today, many of northern and central California will experience moderate to heavy rainfall, with snow accumulations at higher elevations. Precipitation is expected to continue across the region through next week, with the heaviest precipitation expected today and on Tuesday. This precipitation, which adds to previous accumulations of rain and snow from last weeks storms, will increase the potential for flash floods, landslides, and avalanches. Currently, streamflow at numerous sites across the State are above the 95th percentile, with many of those streams predicted to peak and exceed flood or monitor stage today and Monday.

The California Water Science Center (CAWSC) currently has many crews responding to this event. All staff from field offices in the following service areas are deployed for flood response: Ukiah, CA (3 crews); Redding, CA (2 crews); Santa Cruz (4 crews); Truckee (3 crews) and Sacramento (3 crew). More crews are planned to deploy over the next few days as this storm continues to bring precipitation that will result in flood conditions and record high streamflows not seen in several years.

CAWSC managers are in contact with water resource managers from the Bureau of Reclamation, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Park Service to coordinate USGS sampling or high-water measurements with planned flood releases. For example, on Monday, USGS crews will be collecting sediment samples and measuring streamflow on the San Joaquin River below Friant Dam (11251000), and on Rio Hondo below Whittier Narrows Dam (11102300) as part of a coordinated effort to collect data during flood releases. A media events is planned for tomorrow at the streamgage location below Friant Dam, a streamflow site with significance to the San Juan River Restoration Project

Updates will continue to be provided during the course of this event.