Residents Living Near Truckee River Brace For Rising Water
TRUCKEE (CBS13) - People living near the Truckee River are bracing themselves for what's predicted to come. It's big, powerful, and soon the river will come knocking.
"I'm definitely concerned," said a resident.
With a storm expected to dump rain like the region hasn't seen in possibly a decade or more, the Truckee River is expected to swell toward homes.
"It's a little surreal. Here we are standing here, and all this water's going to come overnight," said Rick Reynolds, who lives near the river.
Reynolds lives just yards from the rushing water that's expected to come up possibly four feet over floor level, creeping closer to his home.
"In 2005 the water got to this top step here, and that was a lot of water," said Reynolds. "The prediction is it's going to be higher than that tomorrow."
So what can be done? Short of moving a house, only sandbags and prayers can help.
"The saying goes, 'the river taketh, the river giveth,'" said Peggy Lindsey, who lives near the river.
Lindsay says she is doing what she can to "keepeth" by sandbagging her yard. But she's worried about others.
"I think a few of our neighbors may have some issues. I'm concerned for them," said Lindsay.
The homes she's worried about are a bit older, a bit too low, and facing water that could be a way too high.
With rain expected throughout the night filling the roaring river, the question is: what will happen tomorrow?
"What's going to happen is going to happen. It's all prediction right now, so tomorrow morning we'll see what's going on," said Reynolds.
The American Red Cross is working with local emergency agencies to set up an evacuation center in the Town of Truckee in case of Truckee River flooding Sunday morning. The evacuation center will be located in the Administration Building of the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, 11603 Donner Pass Road, Truckee.
For information on the evacuation center, the public may call a toll-free number set up by the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services: 855-212-1866. If needed, the center will transition to an overnight shelter Sunday night.
