Levee Break in Sonoma County, Calif., Floods Portion of Highway

March 7, 2006

A levee break in the southeastern corner of Sonoma County, Calif., has flooded part of state Highway 121 and is threatening a half-dozen homes and a winery, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The levee is located on private property near the Sonoma Creek about seven miles south of the city of Sonoma, according to CHP Officer Gerald Rico.

The levee broke just before 8 a.m. Monday, flooding the property owner’s vineyard and threatening about six other homes and a vineyard about a half-mile south of the site, Rico said.

It was unclear how long the highway would remain closed and who was responsible for fixing the levee, Rico said.

The CHP and crews from the California Department of Transportation responded to the scene, Rico said.

Heavy weekend rains weakened the banks along Sonoma Creek, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a flash flood warning after the levee failure.

Topics Flood

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