Crews Race To Complete Levee Repairs Ahead Of Rainy Season

SACRAMENTO COUNTY (CBS13) - Preparing for another rainy season, the Department of Water Resources announced flood management officials are getting a head start on the season and will repair dozens of levees around the Central Valley.

Judy Martin just moved back into her home of 50 years for the second time.

It first flooded during a storm in 1996, and then again back in February.

"I had to buy all new furniture, appliances, even the toilets, put new flooring in," Martin listed.

Martin says she didn't see the storm coming, and did flood management officials.

"We saw a lot of erosion and seepage locations in our levee locations that we haven't seen before," said Jon Ericson, with the Department of Water Resources.

He says last winter damaged dozens of levees around the Central Valley - and taught the agency many lessons.

"Pre-positioning flood-fighting supplies, entry and exit routes, working with local agencies so they can understand what to do during wet weather and starting early," said Ericson.

Repair crews are getting a head start on levees this year and hoping to have them winter-proofed, just in time for the rainy season.

"We are gonna closely monitor the sites we can't fix this year, we're gonna work with the Army Corps and local maintainers," Ericson added.

Martin's also doing things a little differently this year.

She's storing her valuables out of floodwater's reach, and hoping her brand new home doesn't get washed out again.

"Between the first time my house flooded and this time was 20 years, so I'm hoping it's like that again," said Martin.

Crews won't be able to get to every single levee this year, but Ericson says they're focusing on rural communities, which often have older levees.