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Don Pedro Reservoir Nears Flood Levels

TUOLUMNE COUNTY (CBS13) -- At 830 feet, the Don Pedro Reservoir will flood. It's already at 826 feet and expected to spill over as soon as Monday. District officials anticipate there will be so much water, that they will have open the spillway for the first time in 20 years – and only the second time they have done so since the dam opened in the early 1970s.

But that means low lying areas, cities like Modesto, may be at risk of flooding.

"It's coming, It's just coming up fast," said Maida Miller. Miller is speaking of spillover from the Tuolumne River, which continues to rise due to the rain and releases from the Don Pedro Reservoir.

"We know the dam is full, we know the storms are still coming, and we know the snow has to melt, so we know that that we need to get out," said Amanda Soria, a mother of two young girls. She and her family were among the many to evacuate a small area at the Driftwood Mobile Home Park late Friday afternoon in Modesto. - the city most likely to face the first effects of flooding in the coming days.

Turlock Irrigation District officials have begun releasing water from the reservoir to keep it from flooding. But that's pushing more water into the Tuolumne River, a narrow river that can't handle large volumes of water without causing flooding along the way.

"They are seeing some higher flows than they have seen in quite some time. So, I think there is some immediate reasons for people to pay attention to," explained UC Davis professor is Dr. Jay Lund. He has been monitoring California's drought.

On Saturday, he tweeted: "Lower San Joaquin residents, local governments, and taxpayers have reason to pay attention to flood risk."

"There is some concern in areas like Lathrop, and the like, that they are getting pretty close to flood levels.  So it would contribute to some problems they have down there as well," said Lund.

Though he expects possible levee breaks and lots of water, he doesn't anticipate the massive damage the area saw due to floods in 1997.

And unlike what unfolded in Oroville, Lund is confident county officials are much better prepared to monitor the reservoirs and control for flooding, saying, "They will know which areas to evacuate, which folks to warn. So, I think it should be under control fairly well."

Though officials don't expect massive flooding, that doesn't mean there won't be challenges. They are reminding residents in Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Merced counties to make safety a priority. Have food and water and other supplies stored. And they are asking that residents to register with their county to receive updates in case of an emergency.

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