High water 2017 - Sacramento area rivers and creeks...

Northern California hasn't seen rain or snow like this for 20 years. Goodbye drought, welcome to water, but we have to say hello to flooding. On Friday, February 10, 2017, I toured Sacramento, and the foothills, east of the city to take a look at rivers flowing with water, the like that I hadn't seen for 20 years...

Photo: Dry Creek, which I find as an odd name, as I've lived in the area for 20+ years, and never have seen it dry, is anything but dry, as I look east at the raging torrent from the bridge that crosses the creek at Dry Creek Road, in Rio Linda, in rural Sacramento County. Dry Creek's headwaters are in the Sierra Nevada foothills, which have received 8 or 10 INCHES of rain in the last couple of days. Today is Friday, February 10, 2017, and I'm checking out the local water situation, as I can personally decide if California suffers from anther year of drought.

Photo: I'm standing on the Jibboom Street bridge, which spans the American River, as I look where it joins the Sacramento River, near Old Town Sacramento. Normally, there is a well-defined peninsula in the center of the photo, but on this Friday morning, all we have is a torrent of muddy water, as the two largest rivers in California join together to make for ONE BIG RIVER!

Photo: Jibboom Street bridge, which spans the flooded American River, is closed to vehicle traffic, but pedestrians are welcome, and to take photos, as per my previous photo.

Photo: Entrance to Discovery Park, after crossing the American River, on the Jibboom Street bridge. Normally, this is a grassy, city park, with picnic tables, barbecue grills, and the jewel of Sacramento, the Jedehiah Smith bicycle trail passes through here. Not today, as it's part of the river...

Photo: These two Canada geese don't seem to mind the flood, as they are enjoying a great raft ride on "Discovery Lake."

Photo: Jibboom Street suddenly dips into the American River. As shown in the photo, I'm not the only area resident interested in the high water. We haven't seen anything like this in 20 years, but it's not unusual, as Discovery Park is designed to flood, and it will be up and running again later in the spring.

Photo: Unfortunately, Sacramento has thousands of homeless residents, who like to camp on the banks of the Sacramento or American rivers. Due to the high water, they were forced to evacuate, and relocate to higher ground. Due to the high water, the City of Sacramento has closed Jibboom Street just east of the American river, so it has made a great place for homeless residents to relocate to. The city has even provided a couple of porta-pottys for the homeless residents who have relocated here, as a last resort.

Photo: After checking out Discovery Park, where the American and Sacramento rivers join, I decided to hear east to the "Gold Country," and check out the American River, in El Dorado County.

The swollen South Fork of the American River, just north of Coloma, in California's "Gold Country." If you recall your history, Coloma is where James Marshall discovered gold, late in 1848, which sparked the California gold rush, which definitely changed the landscape of California. Today, the river is running 4 times as much as it normally runs this time of year, and 50 times of what it runs during the summer.

Photo: I have company, as I'm not the only person interested in checking out the swollen river. I have lots of company on California Highway 49 at Lotus Road.

Photo: The "camp," at Squally's-On the River, just north of Coloma, is flooded by the South Fork of the American River on this early Friday afternoon, February 10, 2017.

Photo: As I was standing on the bridge that crosses the South Fork of the American River, at Lotus Road, I couldn't believe my eyes as I saw these two brave kayak guys paddle down the river, and fight with a giant, floating tree trunk. Actually, except for guiding their kayaks and fighting off floating debris, these guys didn't have to paddle, as the river water was running fast.

Are these guys brave, daring, or just crazy thrill-seekers?

I later heard on the news that a kayak guy was killed on the South Fork of the American River this afternoon, shortly after I took this photo. I hope it wasn't one of these guys...

Photo: Hello. Meet Mr. South Fork to the left, and Mr. North Fork to the right middle, and combined, they form the American River, the second largest river in California. This is where they meet, just a few miles south of Auburn, in the Sierra Nevada foothills. This volume of water hasn't been seen in 20 years, and I find in amazing to witness.

Is this the end of the 5-year drought that California has endured? As our president says, "There is no drought!" and I believe him. Not that I'm an expert, but judging that 2017 is a near-record rainfall year, the so-called "drought" should be at an end.