Shasta County continues local emergency due to weather

Record Searchlight (Redding, CA)

Feb. 07--A local emergency will remain in effect as mounting costs due to storm damages continue to rise in Shasta County.

At a special board meeting on Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors voted to continue the proclamation of the local emergency declared on Jan. 19 by Sheriff Tom Bosenko.

Shasta County Public Works Director Pat Minturn says saturated soil and runoff has damaged roads across the county and in the major cities.

There is approximately $2 million in damages to county roads, said Minturn. There could be more costs with property damage. Some of that will be covered by homeowners' insurance, but the emergency declaration will open the county to funding from the state and federal level.

Public Works has also earned $50,000 in overtime costs for emergency road work.

"It's to our benefit to continue to recognize the emergency proclamation," Minturn said.

Redding Public Works Director Brian Crane said erosion has impacted Keswick Dam Road near a water line from the Buckeye Treatment Facility that provides drinking water to a majority of the city. The water line is intact but still threatened and repair costs are expected to range from $250,000 to $300,000.

The latest storm system that rolled into Shasta County on Feb. 5 brought rain and flooding throughout the region and forced evacuations for the Mountain Gate neighborhood.

Culverts designed to drain rain have been inundated with large amounts of rainfall, Minturn said.

Several cars floated away on Shasta View Drive due to flooding, said Crane.

Roads throughout the county are closed due to mudslides and erosion. In eastern Shasta County, near Big Bend Road, massive amounts of snow are beginning to melt, which will contribute to flooding. Williamson Road and Hot Springs Road are damaged and roadways in Anderson and Shasta Lake are also damaged.

Bosenko said Shasta Lake suffered about $15,000 in damages, mostly due to debris removal and flooding. Anderson faces about $500,000 in damages.

Snow piling up on roofs in eastern Shasta County is pushing the load bearing limits on some outbuildings. Snow buckled one roof in the Intermountain area, according to county officials.

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