A 100-foot breach in a Pajaro River levee sent floodwaters pouring into communities near Santa Cruz.
The Pajaro Valley is known for growing strawberries, apples, cauliflower, broccoli and artichokes. National brands like Driscoll’s Strawberries and Martinelli’s are headquartered in the region. Many of its residents are Latino farmworkers.
In 1995, the Pajaro River's levees broke, submerging 2,500 acres of farmland and the community of Pajaro. Two peopled died and the flooding caused nearly $100 million in damage. A state law, passed last year, advanced state funds for a levee project. It was scheduled to start construction in 2024. State Sen. John Laird, who spearheaded the law and represents the area, said the project is fully funded now but it just came down to bad timing with this year's rains. “It’s tragic, we were so close to getting this done before any storms,” he said.Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images
This aerial photograph shows train cars, vehicles and homes in floodwaters in Pajaro, California on Saturday, March 11, 2023.This aerial photograph shows two individuals standing in a small patch of road emerging from floodwaters in Pajaro, California on Saturday, March 11, 2023.“The worst case scenario has sadly arrived for Pajaro.
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