Hundreds of people flocked to see the creek overflow at Christmas Hill Park, saying it was a way of celebrating water in the face of a long drought.
Spike Shoaf, of Hollister, took his great grandson, Jackson Sumaya, 2, to get a look at the river flowing over Miller Avenue through the park.
Weekend rains, starting on Friday brought over 1 and half inches (1.62) of rain to the Gilroy area. Gilroy’s total rainfall for the season, which started October 1, is nearly 17 inches (16.97 inches exactly), according to forcecaster Diana Henderson at the National Weather Service in Monterey. “This is the first good, normal year we’ve had in 5-6 years,” she said.
Miller is billed as a “summer crossing,” which means it is standard to close it when winter rains hit.
“Silva’s Crossing on Miller Avenue is designed to be over-topped,” said Santa Clara Valley Water District spokesman Marty Grimes. “It’s a very low-lying bridge in Uvas Creek. When waters rise, they close the gates for safety. There’s an alternate route to get around the blocked passage.”
