Politics & Government
Napa Valley Dodges Weekend Flooding
Rain fell and the water rose, but there was no significant flooding in the Napa Valley over the season's first series of serious winter storms.
Flood control works.
That's the message from the latest series of winter storms, which dumped inches of rain on the Napa Valley starting last Wednesday morning.
The Napa River did overspill its banks Sunday in the Oak Knoll and St. Helena areas, flooding vineyards and fields and causing a temporary road closure on Lodi Lane.
Find out what's happening in Sonoma Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
But downtown and residential areas stayed dry, although the city of Napa closed its riverside parks Sunday as a precaution.
For a gallery of more than 40 images from the weekend, please see High Water in the Napa Valley: Share Photos Here.
Find out what's happening in Sonoma Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
City spokesman Barry Martin, in a series of interviews aired Sunday on KCBS radio, said more than a decade of flood-control project work, paid for by a voter-approved sales tax and federal matching funds, is showing its worth.
To watch a video of how the flood control improvements are working on Napa Creek, please see Flood Control Tames Napa Creek
The flood control project is about two-thirds completed, Martin told KCBS, with the Oxbow Bypass remaining unfinished.
Completing the bypass will provide another "jump" in flood protection for the valley, Martin said.
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