🌱 Storm Updates + Flooded Roads + Water Levels + Weekend Events

Hello, everybody — hope you've all been faring okay in this stormy weather. I'm here with your weekend edition of the Healdsburg Patch newsletter, to get you up to speed on all the most important things happening locally. Let's do it!

First, your weekend weather:

• Friday: Mix of sun and clouds, with chances of rain. High: 61 Low: 41.
• Saturday: Mostly cloudy. More rain likely. High: 54 Low: 46.
• Sunday: Same as Saturday. High: 59 Low: 49.
• Monday: More rain. High: 58 Low: 49.
• Tuesday: More rain likely, with some sun peeking through. High: 58 Low: 39.

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Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top stories in Healdsburg today:

1. First, some updates on the "atmospheric river" storm currently passing through! A woman whose car was "trapped in standing water" was "saved by a swift water rescue crew from the Forestville Fire Department" last night along Trenton-Healdsburg Road, right near the spot just south of Healdsburg where a woman died in the last round of floods, according to the Press Democrat. Other roads near us have flooded too, like Shiloh Road off the 101, have flooded too — so be extra careful if you're out there driving. Meanwhile, the "flood watch" issued by local weather officials will stay in effect through at least Sunday — meaning "excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations; creeks and streams will see rapid rises; flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas; low-water crossings may be flooded; and storm drains and ditches may become clogged with debris." And while Healdsburg city leaders say the Russian River is not expected to flood here in town during this storm, "a Flood Watch means 'Be Prepared,' and is issued when conditions are favorable for a specific hazardous weather event to occur. It does not mean flooding will occur, but it is possible." They add: "In addition to the Flood Watch, a Wind Advisory will be in effect... until 4 p.m. Friday. Downed trees and power outages could occur — please exercise caution, especially while driving, and secure or fasten loose objects." FYI, there's also a sandbag station open right now at the Healdsburg Community Center if you need some of those, and an "emergency shelter" open at the Sonoma County government headquarters in Santa Rosa. (Healdsburg Patch & National Weather Service & City of Healdsburg via Facebook & County of Sonoma via Facebook & Press Democrat; paywall)
2. Related: There are a few great data sources that show the real-time impact of this storm — and other recent rains — on our water supply. For one, the Sonoma Water agency has graphs showing the rain accumulation and water levels at Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino, the two reservoirs where the City Healdsburg gets its water. According to those graphs, it looks like Lake Sonoma has gotten around 46 of inches of rain, and Lake Mendocino around 32, over the past week. This means that both reservoirs are now over capacity and taking water into their "flood pools," a situation we haven't seen in years. So the federal agency that oversees both reservoirs is now doing controlled releases of some of this excess water down the Russian River — a balancing act so that neither the lakes nor the river overflow. The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration also has some helpful projections about river levels here in Healdsburg. It looks like NOAA officials expect the river to peak at around 15 feet today, then again at around 16 feet on Tuesday — still well below our 23-foot flood stage. You can check out all the visuals at the following links. (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration & Sonoma Water & Sonoma County Government & COPE Northern Sonoma County via Facebook & Russian Riverkeeper via Facebook & Facebook Groups)

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Healdsburg pics of the day, landscape edition:

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This weekend in Healdsburg:

Friday, March 10

• Sonoma Epicurean Wine & Food Event in Support of Cancer Research (March 10-12, All Day)
• Healdsburg City Council Hosts Annual Goal Setting Session at the Villa Chanticleer (9AM-3:30PM)
• Tamarind Clothing, Jewelry & Accessories Shop Hosts Annual Warehouse Sale at Art Studio on Moore Lane (March 10-11, 9AM-5PM)
• Bilingual Family Storytime for Kids Aged 0-5 at the Healdsburg Library (10:30AM)
• Final Weekend of "Red" Exhibit at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts (March 10-12, 11AM-6PM)
• Healdsburg High School Softball Team Plays Home Game Vs. Novato (4PM)
• "Prepárate! Taller: Listos Para Niños" at Corazón Healdsburg (5PM)
• Friday Evening Wine & Song at Hudson Street Wineries, Featuring Live Music by Smoke & Mirrors (5-8PM)
• The Gypsy Trio Performs at Furthermore Wines (5-8PM)
• "Libros y Raíces" / "Books & Roots" Reading Program at Corazón Healdsburg (6PM)
• Reggae Band Pazifico Live at Coyote Sonoma (6:30-9PM)
• Healdsburg High School Baseball Team Plays Home Game Vs. Montgomery (7PM)

Saturday, March 11

• Healdsburg Running Company Hosts Trail Work Day at Lake Sonoma (8AM)
• Healdsburg Community Church Hosts "Outdoor Adventure With Soul": Archery & Lunch (9:30AM-1:30PM)
• Bilingual Family Craft Time With Elsa Tapia: Paint a "Cantarito" (Little Pitcher) & Make Paper Flowers / Pinta una Cantarito y Hacer Flores de Paper (10:30AM)
• Read to a Dog at the Healdsburg Library (11AM)
• Monthly Ceramics Workshop at Healdsburg High School for Ages 9 and Over: Wheel & Hand Building (1PM)
• Playwright Lauren Gunderson & Journalist Laura Holson in Conversation at Little Saint, Featuring Discussion of New Play "Justice" & Class on Writing for the Stage (2-4PM)
• Wilson Artisan Wines Presents Ken Wilson's Rock Lobster Party at Coyote Sonoma, Feat. Live Music by the Poyntlyss Sistars (5-10PM)
• Healdsburg Community Band Presents "Music at the Movies" at the Raven Theater, Feat. Selections from La La Land, Pirates of the Caribbean, Jurassic Park, The Phantom of the Opera & More (7PM)
• Silas Fermoy & Treasures Live at the Elephant in the Room (8-11PM)

Sunday, March 12

• Alexander Valley Film Society (AVFilm) Hosts Red Carpet Evening at the Raven Theater, Celebrating the 95th Academy Awards & Funding the New Movie Theater Planned for Healdsburg (4PM)
• Piano Virtuoso Alexander Malofeev in Concert at THE 222 (7PM)

Monday, March 13

• AVFilm Hosts "Through This Lens" Film Screening & Discussion at the Cloverdale Performing Arts Center: "I, Tonya" by Craig Gillespie (5-8:30PM)
• "Colectivo de Artes" at Corazón Healdsburg (Weekly, 5:30PM)
• Housing Element Work Group Regular Meeting at Healdsburg City Hall (6:30PM)

Tuesday, March 14

• Preschool Storytime for Kids Aged 3-6 at the Healdsburg Library (10:30AM)
• New Exhibit Opening at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts: "Young Artists' Show: The Art of Food" (March 14-April 9, 11AM-6PM)
• Healdsburg High School Swim Team Hosts Home Meet Vs. Windsor (4PM)
• West Side School District Board of Trustees Meeting (5:30PM)
• PG&E Hosts Virtual Town Hall for Sonoma County Residents on Safety Efforts & Local Vegetation Projects (5:30PM)
• Healdsburg City Planning Commission Meeting, Including Public Hearing on the Foley Family Community Pavilion (6PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Hosts Sebastopol Run to Andy's Market & Hopmunk Tavern (6PM)
• "Building Job Skills" Workshop for Teens & Adults at the Healdsburg Library: Intro to Microsoft Excel (6-7:30PM)
• Poetry Reading at the Healdsburg Community Center: "Meet Me at the Lighthouse" by Former California Poet Laureate Dana Gioia (7PM)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• Tamarind Annual Warehouse Sale (March 10)
• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week (March 14)
• Webinar: Risk and Solutions to Climate Change with Sonoma Land Trust (March 16)
• Add your event

That's it for today. Stay safe out there and I'll see you soon...

— Simone Wilson

About me: I was born and raised in Healdsburg, CA, where I was the editor of the Healdsburg High School Hound's Bark. I have since worked as a local journalist for publications in San Diego, Los Angeles, New York City and the Middle East. I'm currently a senior product manager for Patch.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Healdsburg Patch newsletter? Contact me at simone.wilson@patch.com