SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Recent storms have brought heavy rain to Northern California, causing water levels to rise on the Sacramento River. While the area saw a break in the rain Friday, another storm system is headed our way.
Levels were up to around 25 feet Friday evening as shown on a marker right below the Tower Bridge.
Folks living along the Sacramento River are concerned for what this next storm system could do, including Jensen Ben-Ezra from Sacramento. His family has a house boat on the Sacramento River that was hit by a large log during the New Year's Eve storm.
"Oh man, it's been rough," he said while recalling the storm. "We live on our house boat right now."
Katherine Ben-Ezra was inside the boat with three of her four children and the family dogs during the storm.
"It was very scary and it was rainy and so cold," she said. "There was a giant massive tree. It hit us so fast and like just ripped off my steel cleat, threw my boat out into the river. My daughter started screaming and crying."
She says some of the ropes tying them down snapped and her boat was pushed up against a dock.
"The water was running so fast, but by the grace of God, he put our boat in a very safe place, you know, to where we could get off safely," she said. "The kids worked as a team and grabbed bags of luggage and got it off, but ultimately, it just shows that when stuff hits the fan, you get together as a team no matter what it looks like and I just feel like God is good, all the time."
Another storm system is on the way, expected to bring more heavy rains and rise the river levels. Forecasters are expecting the worst of the storm to come early next week.
"On Monday, we are anticipating another significant storm to be here in Sacramento. We think it might be similar to something we saw for New Year's Eve," said Sacramento County Spokesperson Samantha Mott.
Water levels are forecasted to reach up to 32.1 feet on the Sacramento River after this next system, which is just a foot and a half away from flood stage.
As for the Ben-Ezra family, the log is still under their boat, but they tell us help is on the way once the storms die down. Also, they are thankful no one was hurt.
Sign up for emergency alerts HERE. Active storm information can also be found on the Sacramento Office of Emergency Operation's website HERE.
