Claremont officials notified residents this week about “abnormal groundwater seepage” in the Appalachian and Nashotah areas of the Stone Canyon development caused by rising groundwater released from the nearby San Antonio Dam.
Now, residents are using sandbags and hoses to try to protect their homes from flooding, according to KTLA-TV Channel 5.
Water was being released from the San Antonio Dam, north of Ontario, to lower the dam level and is spreading to surrounding basins and to the Thompson Creek Spreading Grounds, according to city officials. The snowpack from a series of recent storms is also melting and the ground is already saturated from recent storms.
The water is now percolating up into residents’ yards; 27 homes appeared to be affected as of Thursday afternoon.
The groundwater seepage had also reached residents on New Hampshire Avenue and Moody Place, according to a Tuesday letter to residents.
Claremont city staff reached out to the Golden State Water Co., the Army Corps of Engineers and the Six Basins Watermaster to investigate “abnormal circumstances in the Claremont watershed that may have affected the groundwater levels causing the water to percolate to the surface,” according to a letter sent to residents Tuesday.
The Six Basins Watermaster is working on recharging groundwater levels. The Army Corps of Engineers recorded a water level decrease at the San Antonio Dam of 20 feet over the last 15 days.
The Pomona Valley Protective Assn., which works to maintain groundwater levels in the area, is also trying to divert water away from the Stone Canyon area.
Sand and sandbags are being delivered to Padua Park for homeowners to create barriers around their houses. Staff and building inspectors will also be available to inspect foundations and homes.
Claremont officials urge homeowners to call the City Building Division at (909) 399-5471 if there are any signs of damage or cracks in their homes.
Summer Lin
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