Flood Aftermath

Below is an email that Victoria sent to various relatives and friends after the flood, and that she would like me to repeat here:

Hi Everyone,

Happy New Year! I hope you are doing well and had a relaxing holiday. If you happen to be watching the Bay Area news and possibly the Sacramento news then you would know that the lovely town I lived in, Napa, flooded over the weekend.

I am happy to say that I officially am a Napa Resident for I now have a flood story to tell. I live in a bottom floor apartment in Riverwood apartments which is built right along the river. The only thing that separates me from the Napa River is a bike path and my patio. At 4am on Saturday, Dec. 31, Matthias and I awoke to the Napa Police Department driving up and down the street along my apartment complex telling residents to evacuate. For the first time in my life, I actually had to think about what I would bring with me (along with my roommate’ stuff, who was in Spain at the time).

Matthias and I got in my car to see what was going on and if we could tell how far the river had risen. We only drove a mile from my apartment and found the street had flooded. As we checked the river, it looked like the river had another 20 feet across and about 3 ft high before it would come into my apartment. We decided to stay.

Later on in the morning we watched the news to discover that we could not leave my apartment. Main highways were closed. If Matthias had stayed in Marin on Friday, we would of had to spend New year’s eve apart. I am so thankful he was with me.

The sun broke long enough for us to take a walk down to the nearest bridge and pick up some movies at Blockbuster. To my amazement and grace I looked over the bridge at the River to see it had flowed left…instead of right. If the river had drifted right it would have completely flooded my apartment.

The Napa river had grown from 100 feet across to 2000 feet across. The average depth of the river is 6 feet. On Saturday, it had risen to 30 ft. And here I was in my apartment with a first class seat watching Nature take its course.

Matthias and I enjoyed a great New Year’s Eve staying in at my apartment watching The School of Rock movie, making dinner and playing dice. On and off we would look out my patio window to watch the River.

Now it is Monday Night. Earlier today I took a walk down the bike path. It’s one of my favorite things to do in Napa. I’ve been walking and watching the river for almost 2 years now. Today, I had to walk through a little mud. The river had returned to its normal self. As I walked the bike path, I noticed that some parts where the river had flooded to the right. Reminding me how easy your life “as what you own” could be swept away and to know…change is always flowing right near you. As I walked, I though of the people who made a home living along the river. Some of their clothes hung on the trees. I thought of New Orleans.

Do you remember the Brad Pitt, Robert Redford 90′s movie “A River Runs Through It”? Well, with Grace and reason, a river runs by me and through Napa, CA.

Take care,
Victoria

P.S. (What I would have taken? I decided on all my photo albums, my 10 years of journals, and a suitcase of clothes–favorite pants, t-shirts, LOTs of socks – hey you never know.)