Area residents have quickly made the transition from dreading the threat of high winds to fearing the effects of autumn storms.
Since the last storm brought 5 inches of rain Friday to some parts of Palomar Mountain and the Rincon and La Jolla India reservation and caused flooding at innumerable roads, the news of another Pacific storm moving into the area by Friday afternoon or evening is generating apprehension locally.
This storm may differ from the previous one in that it could also bring significant amounts of snowfall to the mountains.
La Jolla Tribal Chairman Tracy Nelson told The Roadrunner Monday, “We know we are not out of the woods yet. We are trying to regroup ourselves for the next rains. That’s going to nail us!”
They are preparing for the next storm with “a lot of sandbagging and bulldozers, and a lot of tribal members donating their time,” said Nelson.
“We are worried about how to compensate those caring individuals. After the fire and after this continuing disaster we’ve got to locate funds to do that,” he said.
Unlike several local reservations, La Jolla has no casino money to draw on.
According to the National Weather Service, “Computer models are becoming consistent in showing a Pacific storm that will move over the area later Friday into Saturday—Dec. 7 and 8.
“Indications are right now that the storm will move into Orange and San Bernardino counties Friday afternoon and into San Diego and Riverside counties late afternoon or evening Friday. The heaviest rain looks like it will be late Friday night into Saturday morning. This storm will be a colder storm then the one that just occurred with snow levels dropping down to around 5000 to 5500 feet by Saturday morning.”
Very preliminary rainfall estimates for this storm are around an inch in coastal sections and 2 inches or so in the mountains.
Heavy rain is likely with the frontal passage itself. Cold showers may linger into Sunday.
It was dark as pitch late Friday night when Rincon Tribal Vice Chairman Bo Mazzetti was asked to come look at a “lake” that had formed on the North side of Hwy 76 when a culvert under the highway filled with debris.
Mazzetti, who has an engineering, building and well drilling license, walked the lake and estimated how much water had built up.
Shortly after he left the area the water gave way, flooding the highway.
Deputies and firefighters had their own-hair raising adventures to escape the rapidly flowing rain, mud slides and flooding.
Sheriff’s Lt. Sean Gerrity found his truck lifted by the rushing water onto a log, stranding him for several minutes until he could be towed off.
It was that kind of a dangerous night, fraught with the possibility of close encounters with cold, dark water.
“thought I’d see you fire and rain”
After fire comes rain, mud slides and flooding.
The areas that burned last month on the Rincon and La Jolla Indian Reservations, Pauma Valley and Palomar Mountain were hit hard on Friday and Saturday. Friday night many residents of those areas received Reverse 911 calls advising them of possible mud slides.
For a time homes along the San Luis Rey River bed were threatened when water and mud built up on Friday night.
Rains that in some areas measured 5 inches on Friday defeated the County’s post-fire efforts at hydroseeding. They also shut Hwy 76 to thru traffic from Friday until Sunday night.
Hardest hit were the Cuca Ranch and La Jolla reservation. Several homes on the the Pauma Reservation was also threatened by mud slides.
On the La Jolla Reservation tribal officials feared that the ashes of the burned areas, which are 94% of the reservation, would turn into a gooey mud slide.
Fifty-four homes burned in the fire. Another was lost to flooding on Friday.
Reservation work crews erected walls of sandbags to try to direct the flow away from the few homes not burned five weeks ago.
But they weren’t able to prevent one home from being lost. According to Tribal Chairman Tracy Nelson, “It was incredible!”
The mud is over waist high at the home where they lost the battle.
“Huge boulders and trees came out and ripped through the valley of Amago Creek,” he said.
“The water and mud just made its way through the canyon. Not sparing anything. It’s almost reminds me of the Katrina disaster,” said Nelson.
The Roadrunner received reports of a boulder “the size of a Volkswagen” blocking the road on S6, one of two roads leading up Palomar Mountain.
We can personally attest to boulders the size of basketballs, toasters and gym bags.
Hwy 76 between Red Gate Road and VC Road was completely flooded with and deeply buried in mud, boulders, trees and other debris from a very large slide and flash flood that originated from Portrero Creek where it meets with Hwy 76.
A lake builds up
At about 3:30 p.m on Friday Cal Trans and Cal Fire ordered Hwy 76 between VC Road and Harolds Road closed due to the potential for mass flooding and road failure where the Portrero Creek runs under the highway.
Sheriff’s deputies commanded by Lt. Sean Gerrity responded to evacuate that area.
The creek crosses under the highway through a culvert about 40 feet to 60 feet below the highway on either side.
The culvert was clogged, causing the highway to act like a dam, with water pooling into a small lake on the north side of Hwy 76.
The authorities later estimated that 150,000–300,000 gallons of water had pooled. The water was running over the highway and flowing westward as the rain sporadically fell.
If the earth under that part of the road saturated with water and collapsed, a wall of water and debris would surge down the creek toward the northern Rincon/Pauma Valley area into the San Luis Rey River, potentially destroying whatever was in its path, including several homes.
The authorities examined topographical maps to determine what areas to evacuated.
At nearly 7 p.m. on Friday Cal Trans road crews were considering whether to open Hwy 76 to normal traffic.
They requested a geologist to make sure it was safe. They closely watched the “dam” for seepage and traffic was temporarily brought through with a Cal Trans guide truck.
At about 9:55 p.m., the geologist arrived. He assessed the underlying road structure, and recommended evacuations and complete road closure. That’s when Mazzetti was consulted. He also provided information to the geologist, which probably helped him make an informed decision as well.
The roadway was not designed to withhold this amount of water and could break open, the geologist told them.
Authorities used the Reverse 911 beginning at 10:15 p.m. and evacuations began.
Cal Trans set up heavy pumping equipment to pump the water over Hwy 76 and back into Portrero Creek.
Deputies and a fire truck relocated about a fifth of a mile west of the “dam” on Hwy 76 to monitor and direct operations.
Without warning a fast moving river of water began traveling west on Hwy 76 from the “dam” site.
Deputies and freighters had to high tail it out of there, with the fire truck backing down the road.
The mud and water quickly surged with large trees and boulders, at one point lifting Lt. Gerrity’s truck and depositing it on top of a passing tree trunk.
The truck was “high centered” and the wheels spun uselessly.
A firefighter said it appeared that Gerrity’s truck was lifted up and then dropped down onto a log or tree trunk that had somehow gotten in front of him. Apparently for a moment the mud formed a ramp before being washed away.
The fire truck also had difficulty remaining on the roadway.
Both vehicles were in danger of being swept over the road’s edge.
After the main surge passed, fire personnel attached a chain to Gerrity’s truck and pulled it free with the fire truck. They vacated the area through large amounts of debris and mud.
“Thank you for the four-wheel drive!” Gerrity told The Roadrunner.
At that point Hwy 76 became completely impassible, filled with mud, boulders, trees and debris.
Experts later figured out that a large, sudden mud slide actually filled the “dam” with mud and displaced the water down and also over Hwy 76 back into Portrero Creek.
The pumping operation was also abandoned and Cal Trans workers escaped to high ground.
The road remained closed until Cal Trans could clear it and render the highway safe.
Since the water had been displaced by mud, the geologist determined the imminent risk had dissipated.
Residents were allowed to return to their homes, and Sheriff’s units returned to normal operations at 2:30 a.m. Saturday, although the road remained closed until Sunday night.
* * *
Things were more calm in Valley Center, where there was no significant flooding reported except for some at the site of a new development at Cobb Lane.
Joe Gallagher, president of MSK Development Group, reported that on Friday and Saturday there was some flooding on the Live Oak Ranch property in Valley Center from the rains and from run-off from adjacent properties.
No structures were damaged. The rains created several “ponds” on the property, which are being drained with pumps. All of the flood waters will be contained on site by the developer, said a spokesman for MSK.
A neighboring property owner told Gallagher that he had recorded 2.5 inches of rain in his rain gauge, but another neighbor of the development told the paper that it was 4 inches.
That unidentified person informed The Roadrunner: “There is one vehicle floating submerged on Cobb Lane and the hillside plot next to my home is eroding, spewing mud onto my property.”
During the rains Valley Center Municipal Water District employees patrolled the district. The crews laid down some sand bags on the usual dirt easements to slow the water.
At the district office they recorded a rainfall of 3.61 inches.
The Valley Center Post Office has been selected as a “Five Star Office,” by the U.S. Postal Service.
According to Postmaster John M. Fuller the honor was earned by the local office because of “A vast improvement. Everybody took ownership of their responsibilities.”
Fuller continually gave business talks with the staff about delivery accuracy. The shopping skills of the clerks were honed and they all worked on better communication.
“A lot of customers were improved with their attitude.” Secret shoppers were used to test customer relations.
As we near the busiest time of year at the post office, Fuller advises customers to already know what they want to do when they arrive.
“We don’t wrap their packages but if they know what to do it’s very helpful,” said Fuller.
He added, “I’m going to have the Dutch doors open next week for pickup so we can concentrate on retail in the lobby. That will help alleviate some of the congestion.”
The busiest day of the year at most post offices is Dec. 22. So try to get your business done before then if you don’t fancy a long wait in line!
“That's when people panic and send last minute packages,” said the post master.
The Valley Center Jaguars are headed back to the CIF Division IV football title game!
After a big win over La Jolla in the semifinals this week, the Jags move on to face Mission Bay for the championship, which will take place at USD on Saturday evening.
The Jaguars are looking to bounce back from last season's early exit in the playoffs and capture their third Division IV title in four years, and with the aerial attack of Tyler Bernard and James Johnson, the sky’s the limit for these Jags.
But the Jaguars also boast a one-two punch in the running game with Justin Lawrence and Stanton Upson, as well as a stout defense anchored by senior linebacker Burt Lund.
The championship game is set for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at USD’s Toreros Stadium, so come cheer on the Jaguars to (hopefully) another title!
For full coverage of Friday’s semifinal, see page B1.
The students enrolled in music programs in Valley Center schools are performing in a series of five winter concerts in December.
All concerts will be held at the Maxine Theater beginning at 6:30 p.m. All are free and open to the public.
Wednesday, Dec. 5–VC Orchestra will perform.
Monday, Dec. 10–High School Bands.
Tuesday, Dec. 18–Winter Choral Concert.
Wednesday, Dec. 19–VC Middle School bands will perform.
Thursday, Dec. 20–Upper Elementary band members concert.
In addition, the VC High School Marching Band will perform in the Escondido Christmas Parade this Saturday, Dec. 8 beginning at 9:30 a.m.
You will have four chances only to see the Valley Center Community Theater production of It’s a Wonderful Life.
The show is based on the famous 60-year-old Frank Capra movie that starred Jimmy Stewart.
This one stars your friends and neighbors from the VC area who will be acting their hearts out just for you.
The show will run Friday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. with a matinee at 3 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 9 at 3 p.m.
Tickets are general admission seating. Adult tickets are $18 and kids under 10 are $15. There will be a special matinee price of $12 for all seats.
Regular price tickets are available online at www.maxine.vcpusd.net.
Or you can obtain them from cast members, including the editor of this newspaper.
The VC-P school district’s “Teachers and Friends” Concert will raise money for families of VCPUSD students and employees who lost homes in the fires. The concert is Dec. 15, 2 p.m. in the Maxine.
You are invited to join in celebrating the season and supporting your neighbors.
The concert will feature instrumentalists Jeff Beck & Christopher Hollyday, vocalists Rich Horne & LaraLee Beck, the Ash Street Ramblers, the Valley Center Community Orchestra, Temecula Valley Master Chorale and more.
Production costs are underwritten by donations. All proceeds go directly to support stricken families. Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for students/children 18 & under.
Get your tickets from any school office or maxine.vcpusd.net/
With the holidays fast approaching, so is a new year and the opportunity of one talented, intelligent, and well spoken young woman to become Miss Valley Center.
The 2008 Miss Valley Center Pageant will be held Saturday March 1 at the Maxine Theater.
Miss Valley Center serves as an ambassador of the community throughout the San Diego area, gains the admiration of fellow residents and has the opportunity to win over $3,500 in scholarships, cash, and prizes.
This will be the 41st year the unincorporated area of Valley Center will crown a queen.
Entries for the 2008 Pageant on March 1, 2008 are available from the high school, Mimi’s Nails, Video Playhouse, or call Debra Jockinsen, the pageant director.
Get your entries in soon. You can mail your entries to the Valley Center Pageant Assn., POB 2177, Valley Center, CA 92082-2177. Deadline is January 13, 2008.
Orientation will be on Jan.13 at 11 a.m. at Ann’s School of Dance. It is mandatory that each contestant attend. Contestants must be 17 years old and no older than 25 by May 1, at least a Junior at an accredited high school, never married or pregnant and of high moral character.
The pageant includes opportunities for personal growth, scholarship funds, many prizes and experiences that last a lifetime. Brittany Byler, Miss VC 2007, has spent her reign attending many high profile community and charitable events throughout San Diego.
The Miss Valley Center Pageant is produced by the Valley Center Pageant Assn., a non-profit organization, committed to providing opportunities for the education and personal growth for young women in Valley Center.
Donation of goods, services and education funds help improve the program. For more information, contact VCPA President Debra Jockinsen at 751-1051.
The Valley Roadrunner
P.O.B. 1529, Valley Center, CA 92082
Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688
Website: www.valleycenter.com
Email: editor@valleycenter.com
Copyright © 2007, Palomar Community Newspapers, dba Valley Roadrunner. All rights reserved. This content may not be archived, retransmitted, saved in a database, or used for any commercial purpose without the express written permission of the Valley Roadrunner.