Despite recent storms, officials say flooding isn’t an issue
Staff Report
Gilroy – Despite heavy rains Tuesday morning and more forecasted throughout the week, local reservoirs and waterways are not in danger of flooding, water district officials said. However, the Lexington Reservoir in Los Gatos may spill by the end of the week.
According to Mike DiMarco, spokesperson for the Santa Clara Valley Water District, the county’s reservoirs are about 85 percent full.
“Right now we’re in pretty good shape,” he said. “We have a lot of rain in the forecast, but there doesn’t appear to be a lot of moisture attached.”
South County was drenched Monday night and Tuesday morning with .48 inches of rain, and additional showers are expected the next three days, National Weather Service meteorologists said.
“There’s obviously going to be more rain in the bucket,” said meteorologist Bob Benjamin. “But they’re not going to be as formidable as the front that moved in today. Cumulatively, the next several days may get as much, but not in that short period of time.”
Another bout of rain is expected to arrive Wednesday night and into Saturday, but in sporadic intervals.
According to DiMarco, the only waterway threatening to overflow is the Lexington Reservoir, which was 98.6 percent full Tuesday afternoon.
But South County residents don’t need to worry about dragging out the sand bags just yet.
Anderson Lake and Chesbro Reservoir are both at about 90 percent capacity.
“The only time you need them is when you’re in the middle of a long sustained storm,” DiMarco said.
