1955 Yuba–Sutter floods

1955 flood in California, U.S. May 2025 June 2025 File:1955 Flood hits Yuba City.png A destroyed home amidst a pile of rubble while a man looks on A destroyed home in Yuba City following the floods December 16–25, 1955 North and Central California Levee failure and heavy rain 74 deaths, >4,325 injuries >$150 million (1955 USD) From December 16 to 25, 1955, devastating flooding struck portions of California. It was caused by heavy rainfall and a levee break on the Feather River, and directly resulted in the deaths of 74 people, leaving damages of an estimated $150 million (1955 USD), one of the costliest floods ever recorded in California.El Nino, La Nina and California Flooding https://ggweather.com/enso/calif_flood.htm 2025-05-27 Golden Gate Weather The floods are commonly known as the Yuba–Sutter floods as there was extensive damage in Yuba and Sutter counties.How have water and floods shaped Yuba-Sutter history? New museum exhibit explains https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article304884436.html May 27, 2025 Sacramento Bee April 29, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250429124559/https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article304884436.html live The floods were described as "the worst in the history of northern California"; thousands of people were forced to evacuate. They have been compared to those of 1986 and 1997.Meehan Dick Feather River Hydrographs at Levee Breaks https://web.stanford.edu/~meehan/flood/peak.html 2025-05-28 Stanford University On the Yuba River, Climate Change Means It's Time for a Dam Makeover https://deeply.thenewhumanitarian.org/water/articles/2018/07/10/on-the-yuba-river-climate-change-means-its-time-for-a-dam-makeover 2025-05-28 The New Humanitarian July 10, 2018 Recovery and rescue efforts were widespread with over 2,000 volunteers working to help repair leaking levees and helicopters transporting residents away from flooded areas, notably Yuba City. Cause In the first two weeks of December, a flow pattern over portions of north California was in a west to northwest direction, which let multiple storm systems move through coastal areas. These storms, while relatively weak, helped soak soil and fill streams, which directly contributed to flooding at the end of the month.Cole Scanlon 1955 336 Hydraulic mining was also noted as a potential cause for the eventual flood; mining eroded hillsides and shifted normal waterways.Villarreal Whip A Devastating Flood: How and why the Yuba Water Agency was created https://sacramento.newsreview.com/spotlight/a-devastating-flood-how-and-why-the-yuba-water-agency-was-created/ 2025-05-28 Sacramento News & Review en-US May 28, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250528120928/https://sacramento.newsreview.com/spotlight/a-devastating-flood-how-and-why-the-yuba-water-agency-was-created/ live Additionally, an ineffective system of levees located in the Shanghai Bend area directly contributed to the floods.Ball Chris Levee Relocation at Shanghai Bend https://ic.arc.losrios.edu/~veiszep/03spr2000/ball/index.html 2025-05-28 American River College Due to geography of the area, several large floods have impacted the region in the 50 years before and after the 1955 floods. Flooding The floods were initially triggered by very heavy rainfall across California; 15.3 in cm of rainfall were recorded in Shasta County on December 20.December 1955 Flood https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/California_major_rains_files/Page312.htm 2025-05-27 NOAA In Humboldt County, the communities of Dyerville and Elinor were destroyed.2022-01-27 Flooding Humboldt https://www.humboldthistory.org/history-nuggets/2022/1/27/flooding-humboldt 2025-05-27 Humboldt County Historical Society en-US May 27, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250527184619/https://www.humboldthistory.org/history-nuggets/2022/1/27/flooding-humboldt live On December 22, the city of Santa Cruz was hit by the highest level of flooding ever recorded in the area; three people were killed during flooding in the city.Factsheet for the 1955 and 1982 Santa Cruz City Floods · SCPL Local History https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/items/show/11099 2025-05-27 Santa Cruz History December 23, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231223231617/https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/items/show/11099 live The town of Weott, located at the south fork of the Eel River, also sustained heavy damage. The crest of the flood was just under 43 ft m.Parks California State The Eel River Floods of 1955 and 1964 https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=25896 2025-05-28 California State Parks en May 13, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250513040351/https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=25896 live Near Scotia, the Eel River broke its previous discharge flow record set in December 1937. In Klamath, flood waters reportedly reached as high as 18 ft m as the Klamath River broke its discharge record. Several other rivers and small streams also broke previously set discharge and flow records. Several small communities along the Eel River, including Pepperwood, California, were heavily damaged or completely wiped out by the floods. More than 1,000 people evacuated the city of Palo Alto as the San Francisquito Creek overflowed.Cole Scanlon 1955 346 Yuba City thumb|The flooding, seen from a city street|left|alt=A wide street largely underwater, with old cars and buildings lining the street. The photo is black-and-white.Yuba City, California, located in the Sutter Basin,1955 Flood hits Yuba City https://www.spk.usace.army.mil/Media/Images/igphoto/2000748880/ May 28, 2025 United States Army (.gov) May 28, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250528121526/https://www.spk.usace.army.mil/Media/Images/igphoto/2000748880/ live was heavily damaged by the flooding.2023-01-12 Remembering the Deadly Flood of 1955 that Put a NorCal Town Under 20 Feet of Water https://www.activenorcal.com/remembering-the-deadly-flood-of-1955-that-put-a-norcal-town-under-20-feet-of-water/ 2025-05-27 Active NorCal en-US 90% of the city was flooded by high waters. 600 people were rescued via helicopter but 37 to 38 residents drowned during the event.Eel River and Feather River Floods, 1955 https://www.militarymuseum.org/1955Floods.html 2025-05-27 Military Responses to Disasters May 27, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250527183537/https://www.militarymuseum.org/1955Floods.html live Yune Howard 2009-10-23 She came to symbolize 1955 flood https://www.appeal-democrat.com/she-came-to-symbolize-1955-flood/article_d1fcf738-77cf-5cb3-8177-b19789530d0d.html 2025-05-28 Appeal-Democrat en May 28, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250528122130/https://www.appeal-democrat.com/she-came-to-symbolize-1955-flood/article_d1fcf738-77cf-5cb3-8177-b19789530d0d.html live The flooding in Yuba City was caused by the Feather River breaking through a levee south of Marysville. More than 4,325 people in city limits were injured,Beard Barrett T. "It's Christmas, Daddy" https://cgaviationhistory.org/sar/its-christmas-daddy/ 2025-05-28 Coast Guard Aviation History en-US and thousands of homes were destroyed by high waters. One helicopter carried over 100 residents caught in the flood to safety as homes were knocked off their foundations and a 20 ft m-high wall of water moved through the southern side of the city.Martin Glen July 11, 2017 A Family's History Tells the Story of California's Great Floods https://alumni.berkeley.edu/california-magazine/online/familys-history-tells-story-californias-great-floods/ 2025-05-28 UC Berkeley en January 14, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250114034431/https://alumni.berkeley.edu/california-magazine/online/familys-history-tells-story-californias-great-floods/ live Although flood waters never reached Marysville, they came within feet of flooding the city. The Yuba River Watershed https://www.yubawater.org/188/The-Yuba-River-Watershed 2025-05-28 Yuba Water Agency en May 28, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250528133830/https://www.yubawater.org/188/The-Yuba-River-Watershed live Aftermath alt=A color photograph of shifted homes and smoke in the background following the flood|thumb|247x247px|Damaged residences in Weott Images of flooding made the front page of The New York Times and other national newspapers on December 25. Thousands of volunteers patrolled the streets of Yuba City and airmen from the Beale Air Force Base helped to repair the leaking levee. Bill Young, a former mayor of the city, stated on the volunteer work that "15-year-old boys became men, and some men became boys". Large portions of the city's infrastructure were wiped out by the floods, including a railroad bridge and the Fifth Street Bridge.Young Rob December 23, 2005 Disaster 50 years ago united residents, tore towns apart https://www.appeal-democrat.com/disaster-50-years-ago-united-residents-tore-towns-apart/article_e578b47a-111c-57d7-ab23-bcfdaebfb12c.html 2025-05-28 Appeal-Democrat en According to Sutter County spokesperson Chuck Smith, entertainer Walt Disney saw a newsreel of the flood and sent "Mouseketeer" Annette Funicello to the Yuba City High School to dance for children affected by the flood; the event was part of a larger Christmas celebration that was held February 1956 due to many children missing Christmas in temporary shelters.Van Der Meer Laura April 8, 2013 Mouseketeer lifted Yuba City's spirits after 1955 flood https://www.appeal-democrat.com/mouseketeer-lifted-yuba-citys-spirits-after-1955-flood/article_808579da-9831-53bf-9452-c4d2ac607351.html 2025-05-28 Appeal-Democrat enApril 9, 2013 Yuba City Resident Recalls Mouseketeer's Visit After 1955 Flood https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/yuba-city-resident-recalls-mouseketeers-visit-after-1955-flood/ 2025-05-28 CBS News en May 29, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250529143606/https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/yuba-city-resident-recalls-mouseketeers-visit-after-1955-flood/ live In 1959, the Yuba Water Agency was formed to prevent any future catastrophic floods from occurring. In 1961, residents of Yuba County voted to implement $185 million (1961 USD) in revenue bonds, which was used to fund the construction of three dams under the Yuba River Development Project.Creasey Andrew 2015-12-26 Remembering the 1955 flood https://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/remembering-the-1955-flood/article_cfe5904c-ac61-11e5-baf6-0b1dbab185d4.html 2025-05-28 Appeal-Democrat en The same year, several rounds of litigation and court cases took place in the Superior Court of Sutter County against the State of California Pacific Gas and Electric Company and North American weather consultants. The cases were largely brought forth by property owners who sought compensation for the levee breaks. In 1964, a judge ruled in favor of the companies, determining that neither could be considered liable for the levee failures.Mann 1968 690-714 In 2013, as a result of the flooding, improvements began on a 44 mi km stretch of levees that lined the Feather River, where the flood occurred. The project, which costed an estimated $312 million (2013 USD) brought the levees to national safety standards and were made to withstand "catastrophic" flooding along the river.Creasey Andrew August 7, 2013 Yuba City Levee Improvements Begin Nearly 60 Years After Fatal Flood https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/yuba-city-levee-improvements-begin-nearly-60-years-after-fatal-flood/# 2025-05-28 CBS News en In 2025, an exhibit at the Sutter County Museum was opened; the exhibit details the history of flooding in Yuba and Sutter counties, including the 1955 flood.Guglielmino Angela 2024-09-16 New exhibit at Sutter County Museum includes artifacts from past natural disasters https://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/new-exhibit-at-sutter-county-museum-includes-artifacts-from-past-natural-disasters/article_664d3c2a-748a-11ef-99d1-635e180e6427.html 2025-05-28 Appeal-Democrat en May 28, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250528122215/https://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/new-exhibit-at-sutter-county-museum-includes-artifacts-from-past-natural-disasters/article_664d3c2a-748a-11ef-99d1-635e180e6427.html live See also List of California floods 1997 California New Years Floods, another deadly winter flood in 1996 Christmas flood of 1964, a deadly California flood on Christmas 1964 References Sources Mann Dean E. July 1968 the Yuba City flood: a case study of weather modification litigation Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 49 7 690–714 https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/bams/49/7/1520-0477-49_7_690.xml May 28, 2025 American Meteorological Society 10.1175/1520-0477-49.7.690 1968BAMS...49..690M Cole Robert O. Scanlon John P. December 1955 Flood-producing rains in Northern and Central California, December 16-26/1955 https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/mwre/83/12/1520-0493_1955_083_0336_frinac_2_0_co_2.xml?tab_body=pdf May 27, 2025 Monthly Weather Review 83 12 336–347 10.1175/1520-0493(1955)083<0336:FRINAC>2.0.CO;2 1955MWRv...83..336C subscription Further reading Stiles William W. January 1957 How a Community Met a Disaster: Yuba City Flood, December 1955 The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 309 160–169 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/000271625730900119 limited May 28, 2025 Sage Journals 10.1177/000271625730900119 Category:1955 in California Category:Floods in California Category:1950s floods in the United States Category:Yuba County, California Category:Sutter County, California Category:December 1955 in the United States