Sacramento County Parks Face Costly Cleanup, Lost Revenue From Flooding
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Sacramento County parks have been closed due to the storms, and that lack of availability may make a hefty cleanup bill even worse.
When the Sacramento River hits about 25 feet, it floods and closes Discovery Park. That closure means a loss in revenue for the parks department.
"Right now we had to close Watt Avenue again, because of the releases out of Folsom is putting more pressure on the American River releases," said Michael Doane with Sacramento County Regional Parks.
Watt and Howe avenues access points are closed.
"The fact this winter actually closed the entire parkway for a time, and the fact that Discovery has been underwater basically for the past four months or five months is pretty unusual," he said.
The record-breaking winter also has created a backbreaking backlog of work for the Sacramento parks department, with rangers and maintenance staff trying to keep up with the mess nature left behind. They're having to work overtime to keep up with the parks and are preparing to do it with less revenue coming in. And that revenue may not be coming soon with the park expected to be closed through May.
"If it is closed through May, that is a $50,000 or almost $60,000 hit, not counting the Watt and Howe Avenue access that are also closed," he said.
