The shifting sands across the mouth of the Russian River parted just in time Wednesday for worried souls who, after weeks of watching the river rise up the bank, feared their beaches might disappear for the July Fourth weekend.
Some even planned to stage a last-ditch, Wednesday night "clam digging" party they hoped would "encourage" the natural dam to disintegrate, permitting the river to recede into the Pacific in time for Independence Day beach festivities.
But Mother Nature did the job for them early Wednesday morning, opening a channel in the sandbar formed periodically by the ocean surf near Jenner. As the river resumed its journey to the ocean, it revealed expanses of river beach not seen for many days.
In Villa Grande, an enclave of year-round and weekend homes west of Monte Rio whose residents formed a nonprofit to buy the Patterson Point community beach four years ago, there was celebration Wednesday on the eve of their annual July Fourth parade and reading of the Declaration of Independence on the beach.
Over the weekend, as large portions of the beach remained under water, it was clear the event that sometimes draws more than 300 people would not be possible — at least, not on the beach, said Rich Homer, president of the Friends of Villa Grande.
"I have never seen the beach disappear," said neighbor Roberto Estevez.
Seeing the water recede Wednesday and expose yards of beach was a huge relief, they said.
"I'm definitely happy it (the river outlet) is opened," said nearby resident Erin McKinny, who was celebrating her birthday with friends on the beach.
But the interests of river folks were divided somewhat as the holiday approached.
Freeing the river to make its way into the ocean allows for wide beaches, but leaves the river far shallower for swimming and boating over the popular Independence Day holiday.
Monte Rio Fire Chief Steve Baxman feared the high water might prevent Saturday's annual fireworks show, which is launched from the beach after a day of games and a water carnival.
"The truth is everything was going under water," Baxman said. "The beach was backing up."
The team producing Saturday's light show, which will be projected on a water screen from the Monte Rio bridge, had to cancel a dry run earlier this week because the spot they use was submerged — as was the section of boardwalk, the water safety signs, and the area where the water floats assemble for the annual water parade.
Mary Baker, president of the Monte Rio Chamber of Commerce, admitted her heart sank a tad Tuesday evening as she gazed at the partially submerged beach.
"The irony struck me that our town is always concerned that the county's summer low-flow policies hurt tourism and our own enjoyment of the river, so the sand bar that allows the river to back up can be a good thing for fish and humans alike ... except for on the 4th of July and rainy season!" she said in an email.
Under a directive issued five years back to protect fish, the Sonoma County Water Agency is no longer permitted to excavate channels to help the river traverse the seasonal sandbar at Jenner, unless rising water threatens low-lying homes.
The agency now lets nature cut through the sandbar, which creates a freshwater lagoon that's advantageous to young juvenile salmonid fish between mid-May and mid-October.
Since this May, the sandbar had formed and broken apart twice before Tuesday, said Ann DuBay, a spokeswoman for the Sonoma County Water Agency.
When the sand formed across the mouth again June 7, it was followed just a few days later by unexpected rain that helped raise the river even higher than it might have during the ensuing weeks in which it remained dammed, she said.
The result was submerged docks and boat anchor sites, slowing, brackish water and covering of beaches enjoyed up river from Jenner to Monte Rio.
On the other hand, summer river flows that often are only about waist high were deep and perfect for swimming during recent hot weather.
"Because the mouth is closed, we have some water," Herwig Loose, proprietor of Monte Rio's Highland Dell Lodge, said just as the water began receding Wednesday. "If they open it up again, it will be gone."
"That's the double-edged sword," Baxman said. "For business it's great, but for the Fourth of July, it's not great."
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