Yahoo Autos Update: Tuolumne is 6 inches from flood stage, but not expected to go any higher
An updated forecast Saturday shows the Tuolumne and San Joaquin rivers staying within their banks even with an upcoming storm.
The National Weather Service expects sunny but cool conditions in the Modesto area through Monday, followed by rain Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Tuolumne was at 54.5 feet above sea level at the Ninth Street Bridge as of 7 a.m. Saturday. Flood stage is 55 feet at this gauging station, part of a state/federal network. The NWS projects that the river will stay around 6 inches below flood stage at least into Thursday morning.
The Tuolumne flow is controlled upstream at Don Pedro Reservoir, which has prevented widespread flooding down below. The river will be high for several months to handle the coming snowmelt, according to the Turlock Irrigation District. It manages Don Pedro in partnership with the Modesto Irrigation District.
The water is unsafe for recreation even if it is not above flood stage, TID said. The same goes for the San Joaquin.
