Swollen River Threatens Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf and Boardwalk (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

SANTA CRUZ (KCBS) Heavy rain has pushed the San Lorenzo River dangerously close to the retaining wall of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, officials said Thursday.

Ten inches of rain in the Santa Cruz Mountains since Tuesday has altered the course of the San Lorenzo so that it now runs parallel to the amusement park.

KCBS Matt Bigler Reports:

River Threatens Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

City crews have been scrambling to contain overflow from the swollen river as it edges towards the concrete retaining wall that separates the park from the beach. On Wednesday, a wooden staircase to the beach was ripped apart by the water and washed into the ocean.

Amusement park employees spent the day building up piles of sand on the beach to prevent water from seeping under the Boardwalk itself and causing even more damage, said Boardwalk spokesman Mark Lipton.

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Swollen River Threatens Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk