Flash flood aftermath: Markleeville residents voice concerns, some needs being addressed
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Mon, 08/15/2022 - 8:54am
ALPINE COUNTY — It has been nearly two weeks since heavy rain fell over the Tamarack burn scar, causing a mountain of mud and debris to move through the town of Markleeville and creating a large hole under SR-89, closing the main artery for vehicle travel.
The residents of Markleeville voiced their concerns during a Town Hall meeting with the Alpine County Board of Supervisors and Caltrans on August 6, then again during a special Board of Supervisors meeting on August 10.
Facing a third summer of reduced tourism (COVID, Tamarack, original five weeks to fix the highway), businesses and residents have been concerned. The only way in and out of Markleeville is over Ebbetts Pass (SR-4) or Monitor Pass (SR-89), neither of which are easy and fast routes to shopping, and jobs, nor for tourists to get into town.
To add insult to injury, Mono County at the eastern end of Monitor Pass had previously issued a permit to a movie company for filming last week on the highway, creating temporary road closures.
Caltrans
Caltrans had already been working on bridges and roads in the Tamarack burn area around Markleeville and other parts of the county when the mudslide occurred. They have redirected efforts to the section of SR-89 where a huge hole developed under the road. Crews had already been working on replacing part of the culvert and the storm took out their work.
The full fix was estimated at 4-5 weeks, but Caltrans will instead put in a temporary remedy of an eight-foot culvert over a stream bed, then rebuild the road on top. Caltrans told those at the meeting Wednesday that it will be done by August 22, in time for the Labor Day holiday.
Caltrans is going to send a daily report to the county after many stressed the need for information and updates. By 11 a.m., Alpine County will update its website and send out a notice to everyone signed up for emails.
A box culvert will still need to be installed, most likely after winter but will try and address it before then.
Crews were able to get the old SR-89 open for emergencies last Monday. The route was already used that first day to transport a resident in need of emergency care to the hospital.
Caltrans told the community they will come back with a timeline on the bridge project occurring on the south end of town adjacent to county offices.
View a Caltrans video of the current road situation here.
Cal OES
With thunderstorms and potentially heavy rainfall in the forecast for the eastern Sierra, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) has strategically prepositioned critical resources including a swift water rescue team in Alpine County. The 16-member team is paramedics, filling a critical need for the community in case of a medical emergency as well as another slide. They were the ones to respond to the resident's emergency on Monday along with the town's volunteer firefighter, helping to save his life before being transported.
Sheriff
After Wednesday's meeting, the Alpine County Sheriff worked on a plan to help residents get out of town easily since many work in Douglas County and Lake Tahoe. On Thursday it was announced the Sheriff's office will provide escorts through the closure for residents and county employees only starting August 12. They will offer the service from 7 a.m. - 7:30 a.m., then again between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. The escorts will allow travel from both directions of the closure. People will need to be in an AWD or 4WD vehicle due to the road condition. Proof of residency or employment is needed. Vehicles can stage for the escort at either the Markleeville Road Closure on Highway 89 (Markleeville) or the Turtle Rock Park Closure on Highway 89 (Woodfords). If vehicles are not deemed suited to travel on the emergency road they will be turned around.
The Sheriff also told residents he will work on good signage on the east end of Monitor Pass. Drivers are not going by Caltrans Quickmaps which shows the road closure and coming into town over Monitor Pass. Residents say the drivers in town in error leave quickly, only to stir up the dust.
Commerce
"Every day it's not open fully is a financial slow bleed," said Rachel Radach, owner of Cutthroat Brewing Company of the SR-89 stretch between Woodfords and Markleeville.
The County's public information officer and economic development director is JT Chevallier. He had been talking to business owners as well as residents to make sure they know what is available to them. Some funding sources have been set up by the Chamber of Commerce.
Radach said they will need financial aid for economic recovery to deal both with the temporary mud issues, and in the long term since camping tourism will be impacted for ten years because of the fire.
She also said their sales go up when Monitor Pass is open in the winter. The community asked Caltrans to look at options of keeping it open for more of the winter, instead of automatic closure for the whole winter and parts of spring.
Radach has been able to reopen Cutthroat with reduced hours and menu, as has the Out West Cafe and J. Marklee Toll House. The Markleeville General Store is also open with reduced hours.
Faith Saletti and her husband John had just bought the Stonefly Restaurant after the Tamarack Fire on October 28, 2021. The pair had owned Saletti's in Minden, then sold a few years ago, with Faith working part-time at Stonefly before buying it. They were at the restaurant Wednesday, cleaning out the mud and preparing to reopen once the road opens.
Residents have been asked to cut back on irrigation so water can be saved to clean out downtown. The main road is very dusty, and sandbags still line the streets. Joining the Salettis outdoors was neighboring Out West Cafe owner Joey Daly (also a new owner).
Daly wears multiple hats in the town, is on the search and rescue team, is a volunteer firefighter, and is a member of the school board.
"Tough times don't last, tough people do," said Daly.
State of Emergency
During the meeting, the Board voted unanimously to sign a resolution declaring a State of Emergency for Alpine County after the August 3-4 rain event. They also decided to spend funds received from the tobacco industry to be available to anyone impacted during the two-day rain storm, and any resulting needs that may have occurred afterward.
