Major Rainstorm Causes Mud Slides in Parched California

SeaBreeze

SeaBreeze

Endlessly Groovin'
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These poor folks in California have sure had their share of weather related disasters, from drought to floods to fires to high wind damage...http://www.buzzfeed.com/jasonwells/california-rainstorm-mudslides-flooding


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We spent the summer in California, dodging forest fires, earthquakes, and floods. We got out of Napa Valley just ahead of the earthquake and left Yosemite on the day another big fire broke out. The flooding was nipping at our heels all the way out of California; they were literally closing the highway behind us. I love California, but man, those people have more problems than Job.
 
I agree, it's hell or high water for Californians these past years.
 

California is becoming the "bellwether" for what much of the rest of the nation can expect in coming years/decades....as more and more effects of Climate Change begin to take place. Between the weather extremes that state is facing, and the ever present possibility of major earthquakes, a wise person would not invest heavily in California real estate. I just wonder what these weather extremes are going to do to grocery store prices...as so much of this nations fresh produce is grown there.
 
California`s drought and mudslide cycles have been going on for as long as I have been alive. This drought is a bad one for sure-at least as bad as the one we had in 76-77, but I have a feeling we are coming out of it. Today it rained like it hasn`t rained in a couple of years. It`s still pouring as I type. Only time will tell,of course. I happen to live in an area that doesn`t have large quakes-if (or rather, when) the Northern Calif. coast has a big one,we`ll see how much it affects us. Not really afraid of quakes anymore,having come thru the `89 Loma Prieta quake unscathed. As far as not investing heavily in California real estate,I certainly hope you`re wrong, Don M. Although,actually,our largest investment in California real estate is a commercial building in a prime area that,in a ultra strong earthquake most likely would collapse (being built of unreinforced concrete block) but the land itself would still retain it`s value-in fact,it may be worth more with the building gone. California real estate has always proven itself to be a good investment,in spite of the ups and downs it has experienced. And in spite of earthquakes,mudslides,droughts and whatever else has occurred. It`s crazy and I don`t even pretend to understand it,but it is what it is.
 
California is certainly a land of extremes....from the barren wastelands around the Salton Sea...to the beautiful redwood forests in the northern part of the State. I especially like the area around Bodega Bay, north of SF. I was amazed one time when I saw houses in the Los Angeles suburbs built on stilts on sheer hillsides....what are those people thinking?? The constant threat of fires and mudslides must result in some ridiculous home owner insurance rates.

I notice you are from Lakeport, CA. How close is this problem to where you live?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...e-homes-in-calif-subdivision-sinking/2152429/
 
Mrs. Robinson said:
California`s drought and mudslide cycles have been going on for as long as I have been alive. This drought is a bad one for sure-at least as bad as the one we had in 76-77, but I have a feeling we are coming out of it. Today it rained like it hasn`t rained in a couple of years. It`s still pouring as I type. Only time will tell,of course. I happen to live in an area that doesn`t have large quakes-if (or rather, when) the Northern Calif. coast has a big one,we`ll see how much it affects us. Not really afraid of quakes anymore,having come thru the `89 Loma Prieta quake unscathed. As far as not investing heavily in California real estate,I certainly hope you`re wrong, Don M. Although,actually,our largest investment in California real estate is a commercial building in a prime area that,in a ultra strong earthquake most likely would collapse (being built of unreinforced concrete block) but the land itself would still retain it`s value-in fact,it may be worth more with the building gone. California real estate has always proven itself to be a good investment,in spite of the ups and downs it has experienced. And in spite of earthquakes,mudslides,droughts and whatever else has occurred. It`s crazy and I don`t even pretend to understand it,but it is what it is.
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So glad your state is getting much needed rains, Mrs Robinson, and in spite of all the above mentioned, to me it is still the most beautiful state in the Union.
 
I love it here. There's no place I'd rather live. Had this house built 53 years ago and still think of it as new.
It has never experienced any damage due to Mother Nature's onslaughts.
 
Don M. said:
I notice you are from Lakeport, CA. How close is this problem to where you live?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...e-homes-in-calif-subdivision-sinking/2152429/
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Pretty close. In fact yesterday,they ended up closing the road that runs alongside that hillside indefinitely due to the threat of landslide. A friend owned one of those homes-he ended up just letting it go back to the bank. They still haven`t ben able to determine who is responsible for this-whether it was the homeowners assoc. for overwatering or if something wasn`t done correctly when the subdivision was originally built. I used to do property inspections on a couple of the houses that are now gone-had to be torn down.

On another note,here is what we woke up to this morning. We lost an oak and it took out our hay barn. At least it wasn`t the house but darn! We need that barn and it was $2,500. I was just looking at an oak outside my kitchen window yesterday and told hubby last night that we need to get them all looked at because they are dropping like flies around town. I heard this morning that a friend lost one last night too,but it crushed her car. Drought is very hard on these old guys....
 

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Wow...there must really be some Unstable ground near your area. A tree that size could crush a house, and if these current rains start to saturate the ground, it will substantially increase the risks. We have 40 acres of heavy oak and walnut forest, and when we got ready to build, I took down at least 30 trees to make room for the house. Even now, I watch the trees closely, and if any show evidence of dying out within 50 feet of the house, I take them down before they fall the wrong way.
 
Mrs. Robinson said:
On another note,here is what we woke up to this morning. We lost an oak and it took out our hay barn. At least it wasn`t the house but darn! We need that barn and it was $2,500. I was just looking at an oak outside my kitchen window yesterday and told hubby last night that we need to get them all looked at because they are dropping like flies around town. I heard this morning that a friend lost one last night too,but it crushed her car. Drought is very hard on these old guys....
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Wow Mrs.R, that's terrible! :( Like you say, at least it wasn't the house or anyone hurt. I'd be a nervous nellie in that situation for sure. Sorry about your friend's car too.
 
So sorry about losing an oak tree, but that is exactly what has happened to big trees around here due to the drought. It cost an arm and leg to have them removed, insurance did not pay.
 
Don M. said:
Wow...there must really be some Unstable ground near your area. A tree that size could crush a house, and if these current rains start to saturate the ground, it will substantially increase the risks. We have 40 acres of heavy oak and walnut forest, and when we got ready to build, I took down at least 30 trees to make room for the house. Even now, I watch the trees closely, and if any show evidence of dying out within 50 feet of the house, I take them down before they fall the wrong way.
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I`m pretty nervous right now-I know it`s going to take a while to get a tree guy out here. I have left a message with the landlord-thankfully,we don`t own this house yet. When we moved here,we had the option to rent or purchase. We chose to rent because we weren`t sure we wanted to live this far out and just couldn`t find anything else we liked. It`s situations like this that make us glad we`re just renting. The landlord just spent $5,000 for a new water system so it`s been an expensive year for this place. Taking care of this tree and getting the rest of them checked is going to cost him (them,it`s an investment group that owns the place) an arm and a leg. He knew the trees needed attention when we moved here though-he mentioned it at the time. Probably just never thought about it again since he`s never been back up here and it`s been 3 years.
 
It's probably a good thing that you are just renting....the Owner will have to deal with the tree damage. I would think that the property manager would look for things like dead/damaged trees on the property, and take steps to mitigate such risks...but then, maybe all they want is the rent money. I have a big outdoor wood furnace, and go through our property every year, and chainsaw the dead trees for firewood. I've toppled some trees that literally shook the ground when they fell...sure wouldn't want one of those 100 ft. tall oaks to hit the house.
 
Mrs. Robinson said:
California`s drought and mudslide cycles have been going on for as long as I have been alive. This drought is a bad one for sure-at least as bad as the one we had in 76-77, but I have a feeling we are coming out of it. Today it rained like it hasn`t rained in a couple of years. It`s still pouring as I type. Only time will tell,of course. I happen to live in an area that doesn`t have large quakes-if (or rather, when) the Northern Calif. coast has a big one,we`ll see how much it affects us. Not really afraid of quakes anymore,having come thru the `89 Loma Prieta quake unscathed. As far as not investing heavily in California real estate,I certainly hope you`re wrong, Don M. Although,actually,our largest investment in California real estate is a commercial building in a prime area that,in a ultra strong earthquake most likely would collapse (being built of unreinforced concrete block) but the land itself would still retain it`s value-in fact,it may be worth more with the building gone. California real estate has always proven itself to be a good investment,in spite of the ups and downs it has experienced. And in spite of earthquakes,mudslides,droughts and whatever else has occurred. It`s crazy and I don`t even pretend to understand it,but it is what it is.
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Plus the fact the natural disasters, lack of rain, too much rain are showing up more and more in uncommon areas for that sort of thing. A tornado hit near Seattle recently for example.
 
Mrs. Robinson said:
I`m pretty nervous right now-I know it`s going to take a while to get a tree guy out here. I have left a message with the landlord-thankfully,we don`t own this house yet. When we moved here,we had the option to rent or purchase. We chose to rent because we weren`t sure we wanted to live this far out and just couldn`t find anything else we liked. It`s situations like this that make us glad we`re just renting. The landlord just spent $5,000 for a new water system so it`s been an expensive year for this place. Taking care of this tree and getting the rest of them checked is going to cost him (them,it`s an investment group that owns the place) an arm and a leg. He knew the trees needed attention when we moved here though-he mentioned it at the time. Probably just never thought about it again since he`s never been back up here and it`s been 3 years.
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Geesh, sorry I missed this whole post Mrs. R.! Glad you hadn't bought it yet at least, those types of things scare me about owning, but I also know there are great bennies about owning;)
 
You can bet that more areas are going to be experiencing more extreme weather as Climate Change progresses. Most of the people think of this condition as "Global Warming", and that may be the case over an extended period of time, but the reality for most areas will be "Climate Change"...in the shorter term. Some areas will suffer major droughts, while others are fighting floods. Severe storms will become more frequent, and more intense. The changes in the Jet Stream, and the extreme weather it has already brought to some areas of the country this Fall, will become more the norm as time passes. For some areas, just having access to clean water is going to become an issue....in fact, Clean Water may become the New Gold in much of the world in another couple of decades.
 

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