Latest Storm Increases Slide Concerns In Santa Cruz Mountains

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY (CBS SF) -- A week of rain has left the Santa Cruz Mountains saturated Tuesday, leaving residents concerned about the weakening ground and increased risk for mudslides.

This biggest slide Tuesday was a mudslide on Hwy 35 near bear creek road which shut down the road  all day. A large tree also fell over and came to rest on some power lines.

Crews were so busy clearing other issues they couldn't get to it for hours.

On Rodeo Gulch Road, storm runoff eroded a huge chunk of the embankment. Crews scrambled to put in a temporary fix.

And so it goes all over the county, around every corner is another very expensive repair.

The public works department says the total damage so far is approaching three-million dollars, likely a conservative number.

The county has declared a state of emergency, which means they will ask the state for money to repair not only damage from this year, but a backlog of repairs from last year.

We're really going to be working hard this year to make sure that the state steps up as well and make sure that they provide vital funding that we need to get those roads repair done, said Rosemary Anderson, the Emergency Services Manager for Santa Cruz County. Because as you said, it is hugely expensive.

On St. Bernard Street -- one of the lowest lying streets in Santa Cruz's Paradise Park neighborhood -- the San Lorenzo River was swollen, but still a few feet below the embankment.

Neighbors hope it's enough to handle yet another big storm Tuesday night.

we can't control it, so it's not something I worry about, said Paradise Park resident Diane Beckman. It just is what it is, and we'll deal with it when it comes.