Levee breach near Tule River in Tulare brings flood to parts of the city, officials say
Flooding is occurring in south Tulare after a levee breach on Friday.
The flooding is near Elk Bayou and the Lactalis/Kraft plant after a levee east of Tulare breached on the north side of the North Branch of the Tule River, east of Highway 99.
The area is south of Mefford Field Airport, and there are no homes in immediate danger.
City officials said in a news release about 3 p.m. that the water is flowing westward from the breach toward Highway 99 and the Lactalis/Kraft plant and G & J Heavy Hauling.
In addition, Hosfield Drive near Elk Bayou is closed to traffc.
“This is for your safety and the safety of first responders who might have to rescue you,” the city said.
Those affected by the flooding can get support from the city, County of Tulare and State of California personnel as the next round of storms will arrive in the area beginning on Sunday.
“The city of Tulare is not in direct threat of significant flooding within the city limits at this time, although localized instances of flooding may continue to occur, based on reports from the regional Incident Command Team, who is managing the flooding response for the entire county,” the city said.
This story was originally published March 17, 2023 at 4:20 PM.
