Warning signs still mark the Rio Nido hillside that collapsed in February 1998, burying dozens of homes and forcing about 140 families to evacuate, ABC7 News reported. With a strong El Niño forecast, residents and officials are preparing again.
Resident Terry Aldrich said a five-foot culvert now runs under the road, with grates to stop fallen trees from clogging it and a nearby pumping station. Johannes Hoevertsz, director of Sonoma Public Infrastructure, said crews "cleared all the drainage" this year and that the county can now close roads remotely and push closures to Waze, Google Maps and Apple Maps.
Sonoma Water says it is clearing sediment and debris from waterways, inspecting flood facilities and checking stream gauges ahead of the 2026-27 wet season. In 1986, another El Niño year, the Russian River hit a record 49.5 feet, ABC7 reported.