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Are you familiar with the history of the 1955 flood in Yuba City and Marysville. The two towns sit at the confluence of the Yuba and Feather rivers. The Yuba river comes in at sort of an angle and the gubmint told everyone in Marysville to evacuate. The the levy broke on the west side of the Feather thereby flooding Yuba City. My friend was outside and heard it. There were 7 kids and the mom left at the house, the dad had been conscripted to sandbag. The oldest boy was a polio victim still on crutches and the next oldest boy was 12. They were quite poor and had just won a TV, but there was no room for the TV in the small station wagon. They put the TV on the sofa and left for the bay area. The water inside the house was almost to the ceiling of the first floor. For three days the Red Cross hunted for them and they were finally reunited. When they plugged that TV in, it worked! There were dead chickens everywhere.

It was a shock to everyone that the levy broke where it did. The neighbors lived in a brick house and did not hear the levy break, nor did they hear the deputy on the bullhorn trying to wake every one up. They were rescued from their 2nd story roof by helicopter, there were 600 that were rescued that way.

Sounds like de-ja-vu all over again.

We should hope not; Beale is not only home for the Air Force’s U-2 fleet, it also hosts an intelligence group that plays a key role in analyzing info collected by U-2, Global Hawk and Predator/Reaper missions around the world.

While the analysis role could be shifted to other intel groups (all part of the 480th Intelligence Wing at Langley AFB, VA), potential flooding would force relocation of U-2 operations—and not all of the logistics stockpiles, maintenance facilities and support equipment could be quickly moved. If the base flooded, some of those resources would be lost, and operations would be disrupted.

Langley experienced minor/moderate flooding during a Category I hurricane about 14 years ago. The base suffered $250 million in damage.