Rain-swollen creek floods Las Positas Golf Course, forces evacuations
LIVERMORE, Calif. (KTVU) - The Las Positas Golf Course in Livermore was closed today Wednesday. Flood waters took over the large parking lot, at least two feet deep in some spots. Talk about water hazard - the fairways were lakes. Many were amazed how fast the floodwaters came.
"I was here for breakfast this morning and it wasn't lke this. And I had a hunch it was going to do it so I came back. Crazy," said Livermore resident Brian Houk.
The flooding came from Cottonwood Creek which runs through the golf course. Too much rain, plus runoff from the hills in a short a time, forced water to go just about everywhere.
"We are going to continue to check it throughout the day to make sure it doesn't get any higher. Obviously the businesses are closed. And our water resources department is on all these issues we are having. We will continue to monitor throughout the day," said police Lt. Mike Trudeau.
The pro-shop and restaurant opened briefly but then shut down. Neither suffered any storm damage.
People there had seen floods before but this one was impressive. The water may leave behind a problem or two for the golf course.
"To the golf course, we will have to wait and see what happens when the water recedes. Chances are good there is going to be a lot of silt that builds up in parking lots and on the golf course. And that will have to be cleaned up," said Sam Bozzo, general manager of the golf course.
By late Wednesday afternoon much of the flood waters had drained. But with everything so saturated, another rainstorm could easily cause another flood there.