The Cupertino Courier

Photograph by George Sakkestad

After the recent barrage of storms, Stevens Canyon Road literally turned into a small river. Stevens Canyon resident Don May hung onto the side of a flooded minivan last week as he negotiated his way through the water.

Residents mop up after first set of storms

By Pam Marino

This winter's storms read like the instructions on the back of a perverse bottle of shampoo: rain, flood, mop up. Repeat.

As Cupertino residents continued to clean up last week from two large storms that caused some of the worst flooding in recent history, more storm fronts rattled the area, threatening to increase the damage already done. The National Weather Service predicts El Niño will bring a series of storms through Northern California until April.

The first wallop on Feb. 2 damaged approximately 75 apartments and several homes throughout the city. The worst flooding happened in the Calabasas Creek flood plane along Miller Avenue, and near Bollinger Road. In addition to some homes--city officials are not sure how many--45 apartments in the Gardens of Fountainbleu complex sustained various degrees of damage, from severe to minor.

"Mud just flew through the property," said property manager Rod Bergman. Seven of the 45 apartments had bonus rooms on the bottom floor which were swamped and caused residents to lose some possessions.

Residents told The Courier last week that they blame cement barriers around a Santa Clara Valley Water District project on Miller for the flooding. They said as the creek rose over Miller it hit the barriers and cascaded into the neighboring complex.

"We feel it was diverted more to our area because of the barriers," Bergman said. "I think some claims will be filed with the district."

Roy Weese, water district project engineer, said using the cement dividers was to protect drivers. He described the situation as "nothing out of the ordinary, other than El Niño. We can't control the weather."

He pointed out that the creek had flooded over streets in other areas. In addition, some dividers were removed before the second storm, and water flooded into the apartment complex again anyway.

Ironically, the district is working to widen the creek channel to prevent future flooding. Weese said the district is currently lengthening the bridge to cover the wider channel.

On the western side of the city, 20 assisted-living residents of the Sunny View Lutheran Retirement Community had to be evacuated when mud and water flooded into the bottom floors of two buildings and part of a third building.

Administrator Jan Straka said four residents were relocated into other buildings on Sunny View's campus; the rest went to stay with friends or family until sometime this week when clean-up operations are completed.

A spokeswoman for the American Red Cross said the organization only aided two Cupertino residents, both from Sunny View. They provided clothing and, in one case, a new bed and linens.

South of Cupertino in the unincorporated county land above the Stevens Creek Reservoir, Stevens Canyon Road washed out, shutting down the road for more than a week. Crews worked to reopen the road by last Friday night.

Cupertino officials said they will continue to clean storm drains and scoop up mud from streets in preparation for more incoming storms. There is still no official damage estimate, according to city officials. It may take weeks before the real cost of the earlier storms is known.

Residents preparing for future storms can get sandbags at the city's service center, 10555 Mary Ave.

Anyone who suffers flood damage can call the Federal Emergency Management Agency about a possible claim at 1-800-462-9029.

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