STOCKTON, Calif. — San Joaquin County will fix erosion along a prominent portion of the Calaveras River levee near Interstate 5 in Stockton.
According to county officials, increased flows into the Calaveras River during storms caused the riverbank to erode as fast-moving water took out chunks of dirt.
The erosion to the north bank of the Calaveras River levee was first discovered on New Year's Day, but the extent of the damage was hard to measure as the river remained high.
"The site was monitored," San Joaquin County Public Works Deputy Director David Tolliver said in a statement. "As the water receded, the County notified the State Department of Water Resources, who is the owner of this levee site, that repairs were needed."
The state agreed and provided most of the funding needed for the river revetment repairs.
Repair work will start in two to three weeks, county officials said. Public Works crews are working with the City of Stockton to plan traffic permits and potential detours.
The construction includes placing a structure along the slope to absorb energy from the water to stabilize and protect the shoreline.
The eroded portion of the levee runs along Brookside Road near the I-5 underpass, seen by thousands of commuters every day.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the north side of the nearly 7-mile-long levee is responsible for protecting more than 129,000 Stockton residents and nearly $13.7 billion in property values from the waters of the Calaveras River.
The Calaveras River, which is downstream from the New Hogan Reservoir, eventually flows into the San Joaquin River.
Watch more from ABC10: California Storm Updates: San Joaquin County drivers thrown back by heavy winds
