SLT evacuations possible; mudslides on 50, 80

 

Updated 9:30pm:

The 2,700 Liberty Utilities customers in the Heavenly to Al Tahoe areas who were without power have lights again. A blown breaker at the South Tahoe substation caused the outage.

In Douglas County, Waterloo is closed from Highway 395 to Tires Plus due to flooding. People going to the Community Center  should use 756-Centerville and turn east on Waterloo. Kingslane Court in Gardnerville is now under a voluntary evacuation to the Douglas County Community Center.

Highway 395 from Lee Vining to the Nevada state line and Highway 182 from Bridgeport to Nevada are closed due to flooding and rockslide.

Updated: 7:30pm:

Douglas County schools at the lake will be closed on Monday.

“Only essential employees are to report to work if it is safe. Essential include me, directors, principals, VPs, head secretaries, head custodians and maintenance staff,” DCSD Superintendent Teri White told Lake Tahoe News. 

Lake Tahoe Community College, which was to start a new quarter on Jan. 9, will be closed.

Mudslides and road closures are hampering Liberty Utilities’ efforts to restore power. The estimated restoration time for customers from Meeks Bay to Tahoe City has been extended to midnight. Customers south of Homewood should plan on being out of power beyond midnight due to falling trees and mudslides; there is no estimated restoration time for this area. Customers with damage to service wire feeding their home should plan on being out for 24-48 hours.

Evacuations are in order for the 49 mobile homes of older section of the Aspen Mobile Home Park on 1380 Centerville Lane in the Carson Valley. Douglas County will provide transportation for those who may need it. Dresslerville Lane from Highway 88 to the Ranchos is closed.

An evacuation center is now open at 1300 Waterloo Lane, Gardnerville.

North Tahoe Event Center in Kings Beach is an evacuation center.

Mount Rose Highway is closed in both directions because of a mudslide.

Updated 6:30pm:

South Lake Tahoe officials are evaluating whether the state streets and potentially the Tahoe Keys area will have to be evacuated because the Upper Truckee River keeps rising.

City Manager Nancy Kerry told Lake Tahoe News the flow is starting to slow down a bit. “We hope that means it is freezing at higher elevations.”

The river is within 6 inches of flood stage. It is already causing minor flooding in the city limits and in Meyers.

“We are deploying resources into those areas now to evaluate conditions and evacuation at this point is precautionary; not required,” Kerry said in a statement.

An evacuation center has been set up at South Tahoe High School.

Lake Tahoe Unified School District has canceled classes for Monday. UNR has also canceled classes.

The fire damaged Tahoe Queen has been pulled out of the water at Zephyr Cove and is now on the beach.

Interstate 80 near Truckee is closed because of a mudslide. Pyramid Highway southbound is closed because of flooding between Eagle Canyon and Dolores. A mudslide is blocking Highway 50 west of Kyburz.

The Truckee River in the Reno area is at 15.86 feet. Should it reach the forecast 21.2 feet, it would surpass its crest of 20.04 feet on Dec. 31, 2005.

Updated 4:30pm:

South Lake Tahoe officials have opened the airport up as the command post for the office of emergency services because of widespread flooding in town.

Most of the problem areas are in the state streets and Tahoe Keys area. Colorado Street is flooded, with water crossing Tahoe Keys Boulevard, going through houses and covering parts of Jeffery Street. The city reports severe flooding near the Knights Inn on Highway 50.

“The drainage system is at capacity and is pushing the flow into the streets,” City Manager Nancy Kerry told Lake Tahoe News. “That melting snow is bringing in additional water.”

Lake Tahoe Unified School District is still assessing whether schools will be open Monday.

“We are watching the (Upper) Truckee River near the bridge. If it floods, that will split the district,” Superintendent Jim Tarwater told Lake Tahoe News.

Water has been coming into the multipurpose room at South Tahoe Middle School. A pump has been placed there to get rid of the water. Water also came into the district office, but is now being diverted. There has also been flooding in the parking lots at Al Tahoe and Tahoe Valley elementary schools. A few leaks in buildings have also been reported.

The hesitation in calling off school is that the storms behind this one could mean even more days off.

 

Reports are that the Sawmill Road-Lake Tahoe Boulevard area has 2 feet of standing water. Sawmill is closed now.

At least 3 feet of water is being let out of Lake Tallac in the Tahoe Keys.

The Pope marsh area is already a lake.

The flood watch for the basin is in effect through 4am Jan. 12.

There is minor localized flooding, but no major flooding in Truckee. Public works continues to work to clear snow filled drainage ditches.  The Truckee River in Truckee has hit flood stage, according to officials there.. Old Highway 40 (Donner Pass Road) from South Shore Drive to Sugar Bowl is closed. There is a large amount of water across the roadway and concerns for undermining of the roadway. 

The Truckee River has hit flood stage in Sparks.

Road closures in Douglas County in the Carson Valley include: Nye Drive, Centerville between Highway 88 and Foothill, and the dirt road alongside Power Dam. 

People are being advised to stay away from Muller, Mottsville, Genoa Lane, Power Dam area, Foothill between Jacks Valley and Genoa, and East Valley near Powerline Road.

Snow is falling between the 8,000 and 10,000 foot levels.

Numerous wet deep slab avalanches occurred either Saturday night or Sunday morning in the Carson Pass area, according to the Sierra Avalanche Center. The avalanche warning has been extended to Jan. 12 at 4am.

Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley will remain closed on Monday.

Updated 1pm:

Lake Tahoe Boulevard between Sawmill Road and Tahoe Mountain Road in the unincorporated area of El Dorado County is closed because of flooding. Sawmill is also closed.

“It was starting to flood before this storm,” El Dorado County sheriff’s Lt. Matt Underhill told Lake Tahoe News.

The meadow at Sawmill is prone to flooding.

The Nevada Highway Patrol told Lake Tahoe News there is a boulder on Highway 50 near Lakeview that the Nevada Department of Transportation will be removing.

The right lane westbound lane of Interstate 80 near Floriston is closed due to mudflows and falling rock.

It has been raining heavily all day in the basin. Residents near the Tahoe Keys in South Lake Tahoe are reporting more than a half a foot of water under houses. There is flooding in the state streets.

The wind has been strong at times, with a 159 mph gust registered at Squaw Valley at 8,700 feet at 9am.

Liberty Utilities has outages in Tahoe City, Truckee, West Shore and the Interstate 80 corridor because of multiple power lines that have tripped. From Meeks Bay Avenue to the greater Tahoe City region is without power as a result of fallen trees that have downed three strands of wire. Highway 89 is reduced to one lane so crews can safely make repairs. Estimated restoration is at 9pm Sunday. 

“Additional problems are expected as wind/rain continue to increase. We have re-opened our emergency operations center and called all crews in who will patrol the lines looking for problems,” spokeswoman Kathy Carter said in a statement.

Upper Truckee River in South Lake was at 8.4 inches as of 12:30pm, crest is at 10 feet.

There has been some flooding in Soda Springs around Old Highway 40 in the Truckee area.

All Washoe County schools will be closed Monday, including those in Incline Village. Lake Tahoe Community College will make decision about classes at 6am Jan. 9.

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Updated 9:40am:

The Sierra Avalanche Center is telling people not to go into the backcountry now.

“Natural and human triggered avalanches are certain today due to the significant amount of rain and snow expected below 9,300 feet and heavy, wet snow loading above 9,000 feet. Large, deep, destructive wet slab, deep slab and wind slab avalanches will occur (Sunday) as well as loose wet avalanches. Avalanches could run farther than expected and involve almost the entire snowpack,” the agency’s website says.

An avalanche warning is in effect for the backcountry through at least 7am Monday.

Northstar, Kirkwood, Mt. Rose, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Heavenly, Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows are closed Sunday. Before heading to any resort, check their website for conditions.

The National Weather Service in Reno’s flood watch for the Lake Tahoe Basin remains in effect through Monday afternoon.

The Upper Truckee River is starting to crest in locations on the South Shore. The river is taking in about 6 inches an hour, authorities told Lake Tahoe News.

“A combination of intense rain on saturated soils and melting snow will lead to excessive runoff. Flooding along the Truckee River, Carson River including the east and west forks, creeks, streams, urban areas, and farmland is likely,” the Weather Service said. “Travel could be very difficult with some roads covered by water and impacted by rock and mud slides.”

The National Weather Service in Sacramento has issued a flood warning for small streams in El Dorado, Placer and Alpine counties through 6am Tuesday.

Liberty Utilities is working to get power to 100 customers in Placer County.

For road updates, click on the state icons on the home page of Lake Tahoe News.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report