Point Pleasant Preps For More Flooding

POINT PLEASANT (CBS13) -- As the sun sets over Point Pleasant, the focus is on the growing flood water that is already washing out local streets and flooding fields. The bulk of it is expected to hit overnight.

"We lose farm ground.  We lose crop. We lose money," said Cody Bayles.

Bayles, a young man in his early 20s, and his family, have already had a tough winter. This new round of flooding just adds to their fears of financial hardship.

"Water stays on crops. It kills a lot of crops that are already planted. Farming is not good right now. All of us are hurting," said Bayles. His family grows hay.

Flood waters starting saturating the soil early Saturday morning, already theatening crops and livestock. Massive flooding hit nearby Milton Friday night, but began to recede by Saturday morning. An evacuation order for the Milton area has been lifted.

Though some Point Pleasant residents may want to stay on to salvage their fields and farm animals, the county has been warning locals to evacuate.

"It's coming. The water is coming. That's the bottom line," explained Matt Robinson, with the Sacramento County Department of Water Resources.

They predict this second round of winter flooding from the Cosumnes and Mokelumne Rivers to be worse. This time, there's more water and its coming down with more force.

"We did have a enough water going down stream and thought the levies would be able to hold. But the problem is, the first round beat up the levies pretty bad," says Robinson.

Worried the levies wouldn't be able to handle the pressure, a levie was broke earlier Saturday morning, but much higher up the river stream.

Bayles is optimistic that will help ease the water gushing towards his family's farm. But he knows Mother Nature makes no promises.

"There is nothing you can do. Its Mother Nature. We have to just sit back and see what happens," says Bayles.

What the county wants to happen is for more residents to evacuate. One farmer says he is conflicted. He hopes if he stays, he can help fight off any flood water if it threatens his house.

An evacuation center for residents of both Point Pleasant and Milton has been set up at Pleasant Grove High School at 9531 Bond Road in Elk Grove.