2017 California floods
Flooding in 2017 affected parts of California in the first half of the year. Northern California saw its wettest winter in almost a century, breaking the record set in 1982–83. The same storm systems also flooded parts of western Nevada and southern Oregon. The damage was estimated at $1.55 billion ($1,926,663,046 today), including damage to California roads and highways estimated at more than $1.05 billion.
The South Yuba River at Highway 49 floods after heavy rain on January 9, 2017. The flow is about 25,000 cubic feet per second (710 m3/s), more than 40 times the normal rate. | |
| Date | January 7 – February 22, 2017 |
|---|---|
| Location | California Nevada |
| Deaths | At least 5 directly |
| Property damage | >$1.55 billion
($1,926,663,046 today) |
The flooding occurred at the end of one of California's worst droughts on record, and much of the state was unprepared to handle the huge volume of rain and snow. The precipitation helped to refill surface water supplies, including many major lakes and reservoirs, but had limited impact on groundwater reserves. Governor Jerry Brown declared the drought officially over on April 4, 2017.