Atmospheric river has flood pumps in Fresno/Clovis metro area working close to capacity

A series of powerful storms moving through Central California on Monday were testing the pumps and ponding basins of the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District, built to handle about one-half inch of rain an hour.

Brent Sunamoto, the district assistant general manager, said most of the district’s electric and diesel pumps were running. The pumps send water from city and county drainage systems into ponding basins spread throughout the Fresno and Clovis region. A system of pipes moves water between the basins and also moves the runoff into Fresno Irrigation District canals, and from there to farmland west of the city.

But the so-called “bomb cyclone” over the region was testing the system, Sunamoto indicated. Ground was already soaked from a series of storms in December and earlier in January.

This story was originally published January 9, 2023 at 7:14 PM.