ARVIN, Calif. (KERO) —
- Video shows how Smothermon Park is flooded after heavy rain overfilled a slump adjacent to it, causing one of its berms to collapse.
- The City of Arvin shifted water flooding the streets of the community to prevent water from getting into people's homes and businesses.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The rain is over in Arvin, but there are still areas underwater. I’m taking a closer look at why some city parks are being used to store water to keep the rest of the city dry.
Smothermon Park is one of the locations with a sump in the community. According to City Manager and Finance Director of Arvin, Jeff Jones, the city uses this sump to store storm-water.
"Unfortunately, because the rain was so fast and so furious it got overfilled," said Jones.
He is talking about Tuesday night’s storm, which he says caused the sump’s berm to collapse, shifting the water into the park. But if it weren’t for the sumps, "It’d probably go into people’s homes as you have water build-up without having the sumps in the park’s overflow."
Jones added that the city is currently working on shifting the water from the sumps to a five-acre facility in the southwest part of town.
As for the funds to repair the berm, Jeff said the city is hoping to add the cost to the state of emergency. Right now, he said the cost of damages in the city is approximately $150,000.
For the safety of the community, Jones says Smothermon Park will be closed to the public.
"We don’t want people walking around there or walking on the walk pass, they may interact with the sump with the sump," said Jones.
Right now there is no exact date of when the park will reopen, but the city does say it can take a couple of days for the park to be completely dry.
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