Heavy rains brought flooding and erosion in Mariposa County on Tuesday. Crews spent Wednesday working to redirect flood waters and identify a breach in the wastewater treatment system.
On Tuesday, a problem with a culvert caused runoff to be diverted out of the Mariposa Creek watershed and through the 49er Shopping Center.
With a break in the weather, Randy Foley is taking advantage. He's offloading a bobcat from a flatbed truck in the 49er Center's parking lot as water from the watershed continued to race under the truck's wheels.
"We gotta go break some concrete out and get it so if it rains again, the water will drain," Foley says.
Water runs through Mariposa Auto Trim after a culvert fails in the Mariposa Creek Watershed. Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio
Sandbags and gravity kept most of the shops dry, with the exception of an auto shop that had water running through both sides and around a concrete floor that bubbled up and is now two feet higher than it was.
State Corrections and Rehabilitation crews stack sandbags in Mariposa in an effort to prevent future flooding. Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio
Nearby, you could smell sewage as the Mariposa Public Utility District searched for a hole in one of its pipes. The district's Mark Rowney says the system is taking on water.
"It's just overloading our sewer plant. We're just trying to find where the water's getting into our sewer main. This is private property and stuff. But, we got to find that where the water's getting in and then we're gonna be cutting it off."
The waters of Mariposa Creek have receded somewhat. Alicia Rodriguez is with the Mariposa County Arts Council. Its gallery overlooks the creek, which she says was roaring.
"This building right here, the little potting shed. I was walking in four inches of water right there. So, we had to clear it out. It was crazy."
The National Weather Service says parts of Mariposa received 4 inches of rain in a 24-hour period and more is on the way. A flood watch is in effect for Thursday tonight into Friday night.
The Mariposa County Sheriff has posted sandbag locations.
Mariposa Creek February 8, 2017 Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio
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