Community Corner
Heavy Rain Causes Flooding, Road Closures Across San Diego County
Residents should avoid areas of standing water during a storm and not drive through flooded roadways, as roadbeds might be washed out.
March 15, 2023
San Diego County officials closed roads and cleaned up Wednesday after flooding from heavy rains in unincorporated communities.
Find out what's happening in San Diegofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
According to the county’s Department of Public Works, the following roads were closed:
- In Ramona, 13th Street at Main Street and Walnut Street
- In Escondido, Ivy Dell between Jesmond Dene Park and North Centre City Parkway
- In Lake San Marcos, Discovery Street from San Marcos Boulevard to San Pablo Drive
- In Rancho Santa Fe, El Montevideo from San Elijo to Via De Fortuna
- In Valley Center, Cole Grade Road from Spring Valley to Old Cole Grade
- El Montevideo between San Elijo Ave. and Via De Fortuna
- Sandia Creek from Santa Margarita Preserve to Rock Mountain in the De Luz area
The county reopened Ramona Road and Letton Street in Ramona just after 3 p.m., and Rice Canyon at state Route 76 shortly after 1 p.m.
According to Fox5, other closures were:
Find out what's happening in San Diegofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- In Poway, Twin Peaks Road from Pomerado Road to Community Road
- Harmony Grove Road, between Wilgen Road and Wild Willow
- In the Ramona area, Magnolia Avenue from state Route 78 and Magnolia Heights Road (due to flooding in the dip)
- Raymond Street and H Street
The National Weather Service reported rain totals of 2 inches for North County communities on Wednesday, including Carlsbad and Oceanside; 1.5 inches in the county’s central region; between 1 and 1.25 inches in the South County region; and 1.5 to 2.5 inches in East County communities, including El Cajon, Santee, and Poway.
Mountain areas received the most rain, with 4.92 inches at Palomar Mountain, 2 inches in Julian, and 1 inch of rain at Mount Laguna.
According to the county Land Use and Environment Group, once a major storm hits, crews begin removing downed trees and branches, clearing mud or rock slides on county roads, alerting the public to road closures, clearing impacted storm drains, and using snow plows in the mountains.
Residents should avoid areas of standing water during a storm and not drive through flooded roadways, as roadbeds might be washed out.
Drivers who see flood waters rising around their vehicle should abandon it and safely move to higher ground, according to LUGE.
The county is offering sandbags, but residents are advised to double-check distribution sites; information is available at www.readysandiego.org/content/oesready/en-us/flooding.html.
More county information on all storm closures can be found online.
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