Sonoma County storm damage estimate hits $16 million (w/video)

Damages from last week's storms are initially pegged at $16 million in Sonoma County alone, an amount one county official said Sunday is likely to climb even higher.

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday is expected to ratify a resolution extending the local emergency declared last Thursday for another 30 days. The move could trigger disaster aid for residents and business owners.

West county Supervisor Efren Carrillo on Sunday said damages just in Healdsburg are estimated to be $15 million. He said he expects the overall total will grow substantially as assessments of damaged public and private property continue.

The damage figures are well below those of previous deluges, including a New Year's flood in 2006 that sent more than 600 people to Red Cross emergency shelters and damaged an estimated $300 million worth of private and public property.

Still, last week's storms, which blew in Wednesday and lingered through Friday, caused an impressive amount of problems in a relatively short amount of time. That included flooding inside homes and businesses, as well as road and school closures. The Russian River peaked a foot above flood stage in Guerneville on Friday, the first time that's happened in eight years.

And rain continues to fall.

A storm that was expected to blow into Northern California Sunday night was predicted to drop between an inch and two inches of rain through Monday morning. The Sierra Nevada was expected to receive a dusting of a few inches of snow at elevations above about 5,000 feet, which encompasses most ski resorts.

In Sonoma County, people are still determining the magnitude of what last week's storm wrought. Healdsburg appeared to suffer the worst damage. Nearly 6 inches of rain fell on the city within 24 hours from Wednesday through Thursday, causing Foss Creek to overflow its banks and sending water rushing into more than two dozen downtown businesses. Flooding also knocked out traffic lights and submerged cars.

The county's emergency declaration would waive permit fees for repair and reconstruction from storm and flood damage through April 30. It also asks Gov. Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency in the county as a possible step toward freeing up disaster aid.

Whether the county will qualify for that assistance could hinge on the estimated amount of damage from the storms and the availability of local, state and nonprofit agencies to assist with recovery efforts. Carrillo urged residents to report damages of more than $1,000 via the county's 211 hotline.

In Cazadero, where 10.25 inches of rain fell over the three-day period last week, residents on Sunday continued assessing damage that in some cases appeared unprecedented for the west county enclave.

Jeanine Grider, who lives on a mountain-top ranch off of Old Cazadero Road, said she and her husband were awakened early Thursday morning by the sound of their roof being ripped off. She estimated the wind gusts to be 70 mph.

Living in Cazadero, Grider said she's used to big storms.

'But there was a gaping hole where the chimney was, and water pouring in,' she said.

She said the ranch has been in her husband's family since the 1800s and that nobody can remember a wind storm that bad. The family used plywood to cover holes in the damaged roof until a more permanent fix can be made.

Similarly, the Cazadero Supply building on Cazadero Highway, which has been in the Berry family since 1888, took in about 4 to 5 inches of water for what likely was the first time ever, according to Charlotte Berry, who owns the store with her husband. At the storm's peak, water funneled off the roadway and into the store beneath the glass doors.

Austin Creek, which flows behind the store, also raged during the storm. But the creek was not the cause of the store's problems.

'We always thought that a horrific, Noah-like flood would flood us from the creek side, but to have it from the street was shocking,' said Berry.

She said the couple will have to wait for things to dry out to determine the extent of their losses. Water soaked several items that were for sale in the store, including an electric water heater, a skill saw and Christmas lights.

Berry, who is a board member of the Cazadero Community Services District, summarized storm damages in the community in an email to Carrillo.

She said about 162 customers serviced by the Cazadero Water Company were without water for at least 48 hours after the main water line was damaged in the storm.

That could not be independently verified Sunday. Jim Berry, the water company's president, could not be reached for comment. Another company representative said Berry was out Sunday making repairs to water lines.

Many Cazadero residents lost stashes of firewood in the storms, a serious issue as many don't have gas or electricity to heat their homes, according to Charlotte Berry. She said several people also reported that their wells have been contaminated with flood water.

Berry praised county road crews for the work they did during the storm. But she said she hopes the county will find money to make needed repairs to roads and culverts.

'Now,' she said, 'the roads are even more messed up.'

You can reach Staff Writer Derek Moore at 521-5336 or derek.moore@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @deadlinederek.