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Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:25 am
by Mari Clements
Eric is at the Speedway now, and he says the lake is deeper than we've ever seen it (something about water up three light poles).
The weather channel said that between 6:30 and 9:30 a.m., Fontana may receive as much as 3/4 to 1 inch of rain PER HOUR.
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:40 am
by Matt Mikhail
Too bad. It was looking promising as I was driving up Cherry (which was flooded just about the entire way up). I suppose it wouldn't have been too good to be driving in water thats as high as my air filter.
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:45 am
by Jason Flores
Our ST civic barely made it past the first "river" north of the 10fwy....they my co-driver called as i was waiting my turn to pass the Valley blvd "river" and e told me to go home....good thing because all i could see all the way down cherry were cars making waves as big as our little civic and I putted back to the fwy I could hear the bubbles that the exhaust was making, i guess a good thing maybe it was helping propel me forward...im all dry now =)
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:47 am
by Matt Mikhail
Your not kidding. ;)
It was fun to pass all the Suburbans that were 'stuck' in the middle of the road with their emergency lights on

Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:55 am
by Doug Teulie
Mari Clements wrote:Eric is at the Speedway now, and he says the lake is deeper than we've ever seen it (something about water up three light poles).
The weather channel said that between 6:30 and 9:30 a.m., Fontana may receive as much as 3/4 to 1 inch of rain PER HOUR.
Lake Fontanna's water level should back to healthy reserve status by the looks of the water level at our house.

Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:58 am
by Robert Puertas
Since the forecast calls for solid rain until noon tomorrow, this does not bode well for the Championship...
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 9:01 am
by Doug Teulie
I saw rapids on cherry once several years ago before a practice. It was amazing.
Kathy
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:08 am
by Kurt Rahn
Doug Teulie wrote:I saw rapids on cherry once several years ago before a practice. It was amazing.
Kathy
Rapids is a good description. On the older section of Cherry between the 210 freeway and the speedway, the right-hand lane was literally a river.
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:20 am
by Steve Ekstrand
If Lake Fontucky was that bad at 7am, what is it like after two more inches of rain following that???
Next question as rain tapers off... How fast is it draining?
Since the lake grew higher this time than past serious storms, I gotta think the problem isn't the amount coming down but more likely clogged up drainage issues.
Damn that Anthropogenic Flooding!
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:39 am
by Dan Shaw
I don't imagine the flooding is being hindered at all if the sewage blocks are coming from our recently torched hillsides. Reminds me of 2006!
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:14 am
by Mako Koiwai
We went back to the Speedway at 10:15 to pick up the Vette (after the Denny's Party) ... the water hadn't subsided at all ... and it was starting to rain again. Suppose to be a break in the rain until about 2 PM.
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:51 am
by George Schilling
Driving to AAA this morning was quite an experience. I had some older 615's on the car. Got on the freeway and at about 40 mph it felt like the first time I ever put on ice skates. Joey was behind me in the van. He said it looked like I had no control at all. He was right. We got off at the next ramp and put on the Star Specs. It was a better but still a challenging drive to the speedway. Speeds ranged between 50 and 60 most of the time. Along the 50 mile route, I must have seen 10 totaled vehicles along with several that had damage after losing control. Yet, some cars were still flying be at high speed. I found this more frightening than flying in heavy turbulence. In the air, the concern is keeping the plane right side up. Holding altitude is impossible. But even in the air, we slow the plane down to maneuvering speed to reduce stress on the airframe. Though it can be quite nerve wracking, there's not much worry about hitting anything as long as the plane holds together. On the freeway, my concern was being hit by the fruitcakes who think that 80 is an appropriate speed in pouring rain with 100" visibility. The S2000 with max'd out camber is definitely not a freeway flier.
North bound on Cherry was another challenge. The south bound side not as bad. Going north, there were areas where even at the crest of road, the water was 4" deep, 12" - 18" deep at the curb in some areas.
The lake in lot 12 was the largest I have ever seen. Eric purposely set up the course to avoid the normal flood area yet we still lost half the course. I'll check the lake later today and see how the drainage is progressing. As long as it looks like it's going down at a reasonable pace, we'll be running tomorrow. I'll report back later with the prognoses..
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 12:11 pm
by Mako Koiwai
I think Pete got shots of a bunch of confused sea gulls bobbing on the water ... no, Lake Fontana is NOT the Pacific! I think this is about 1,000' X 500' of flooded Green Lot
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 12:15 pm
by Mako Koiwai
"Your message contains too few characters."
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 12:21 pm
by Darren Cole
So the next question is will we cancel tomorrow?
It is supposed to be raining in the morning again.
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 12:41 pm
by Steve Ekstrand
Is it wrong to pray for flooding???
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 12:44 pm
by George Schilling
Darren Cole wrote:So the next question is will we cancel tomorrow?
It is supposed to be raining in the morning again.
At this moment we're planning on running, but a lot depends on the drainage rate of the lake. The accuweather forecast calls for light rain which shouldn't be a problem if the lake drains. But if it's dammed off, drainage could be a problem. The sun is out as I write this.
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 12:48 pm
by Rick Brown
George Schilling wrote:Darren Cole wrote:So the next question is will we cancel tomorrow?
It is supposed to be raining in the morning again.
At this moment we're planning on running, but a lot depends on the drainage rate of the lake. The accuweather forecast calls for light rain which shouldn't be a problem if the lake drains. But if it's dammed off, drainage could be a problem. The sun is out as I write this.
Obviously everyone needs to check here tonight and in the morning. George will be on top of it.
I will send out a mass email from AXWare to all those pre-registered to do so.
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 12:56 pm
by Kurt Rahn
Mako Koiwai wrote:"Your message contains too few characters."
Bizarre to see the cones just disappear under the water as the pavement slopes.
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:05 pm
by Chad Stubblefield
What are those two giant drainage tunnels for?
They dont seem to be working. :mrt:
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:09 pm
by Mako Koiwai
I wonder if they cleaned out the debris after the lake got filled last time.

Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:11 pm
by Chad Stubblefield
:mrt:
Do we still pay for the lot when this happens?
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:13 pm
by Tom Denham
How many cones are stuck in the Drain pipe

Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:15 pm
by Bill Martin
Mako Koiwai wrote:I wonder if they cleaned out the debris after the lake got filled last time.

I was told they don't lead to an out-channel. The water just builds up on the other side until it evaporates, I guess.
Re: Practice Canceled: Flash Flooding in Fontana
Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:19 pm
by Rick Brown
Chad Stubblefield wrote::mrt:
Do we still pay for the lot when this happens?
As long a no one takes a lap, no.