A mix of melted snow and rain caused currents in the Yuba River to swell. Homes and businesses filled with water in the foothills. As the waters rose, a historic fishing lodge found itself between a rock and a hard place.
Long time Soda Springs resident Sean Nickels fought to save his home and a legacy.
"Been coming here since I was 6. This was my first job," Nickels said.
Nickels has been working at Rainbow Lodge on and off all his life. It’s now his home.
The fishing lodge sits on a sharp bend of the Yuba River. When high water hits, the 90-year-old building is in the path of floodwater.
"The water was about to come over the bank. If that happened, it goes to the basement," Nickels said.
Above the foundation is decades of memories. The lodge is filled with pictures and artifacts dating back to the 1930s.
The old lodge has a history of close calls.
A previous flood washed away the chef’s cabin.
"It was destroyed and rebuilt five or six times,” Nickels said.
A flood in 1997 sent water into the Rainbow Lodge basement causing lots of damage. But thanks to a legacy of people like Sean, the historic building stands the test of high water, time and time again.
"People loved this cabin and loved to have fun like we do today," Nickels said.
The lodge is under new management and plans to re-open at the beginning of next year.