‘Imminent’ failure of levee in Wilton. Sacramento County urges residents to seek higher ground

Mike Letterman

Jan 1, 2023, 9:26 AM
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Emergency officials said Saturday night that there was an imminent levee failure on a portion of the Cosumnes River.

The advisory was issued by the office of emergency services after a flash flood warning.

According to the county's river gauge, the river was 76.20 feet above flood stage and 25 feet above the river bottom. The levee near Cecatra Drive is the location of the flood stage.

Some residents were told to evacuate their homes while others were advised to hunker down for the foreseeable future as the area around Wilton was flooded with roads and swollen creek. The area received more than 3 inches of rain throughout the day.

There is a Saturday night advisory for residents. There are homes located north of Gay Road and west of the Cosumnes River.

Flash Flood Warning for Area of Wilton@NWSSacramento sent a flash flood warning to residents at Cosumnes Rd and Wilton Rd, due to an imminent levee failure in that area on the Cosumnes River. Residents have been advised to seek higher ground immediately. pic.twitter.com/EX6D6aQeGj
— Sacramento County (@SacCountyCA) January 1, 2023

The county told residents toseek higher ground immediately. More than a hundred people were told of the danger, including some who lived outside the immediate area.

The Cosumnes River crested at 16.83 feet, almost 5 feet above the flood stage, on Saturday due to heavy rains. The gauge on the river had dropped by 11pm.

Downstream as the river crosses Highway 99 at McConnell, weather service forecasters warned the river is expected to crest overnight at 46.2 feet, within a tenth of a foot from the water level set in 1955. During the New Year's storms of 1997, the record high water mark was set.

The river is predicted to fall below flood stage by Sunday afternoon.

The monumental atmospheric river storm brought gusts near 60 mph and pounding rains to Northern California on New Year's Eve, causing close to 200,000 homes and businesses to lose power.

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