CHULA VISTA (KGTV) — As San Diego marks two years since the historic 2024 floods that caused millions of dollars in damage across the county, one South Bay homeowner said she now worries every time a major storm rolls through.
Catherine Velasco lives in Bonita near Rohr Park, which is operated by the City of Chula Vista. She suffered damage to her backyard in 2024 that cost her thousands of dollars. After redoing her fence, Velasco said she dealt with more damage during the rainstorm a few weeks ago.
“I had just moved in a week earlier,” she said. “It was raining really hard. All of a sudden, there was this huge river of water. My entire backyard was a lake. About one-third of my fence fell over as a result. It was a mess.”
Velasco redid the entire fence. While she said the storm on New Year’s Day was not as bad, her backyard once again filled with water.
“This is a new fence. I built it after the first flood. It was covered with branches and leaves, almost kind of like a dam,” Velasco said.
She’s concerned for the next time it rains.
“If a flood comes in again, there goes my investment, so I really would like to know how the city is going to mitigate the problem of the flooding,” Velasco told ABC 10News anchor Melissa Mecija.
She wants to eventually put a few fruit trees and a chicken coop in her backyard.
Can I get chickens that swim?” she joked.
ABC 10News asked the City of Chula Vista about the concerns from residents in the neighborhood.
A spokesperson wrote:
"Rohr Park is located within the flood plain and regulatory floodway of the Sweetwater River, an area that is designed to convey floodwaters during significant storm events. Because of this designation, periodic flooding can occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall. With its limited resources, the City has continued routine maintenance and monitoring efforts at Rohr Park, including inspection of drainage features and removal of debris when conditions allow and when it is safe to do so. In addition, the City is currently advancing the Rohr Park Master Plan, which is still being drafted as the City receives public input. This planning process will help inform future park improvements, including potential design strategies to better manage flooding once funding is identified and the project moves into a formal design phase."
She also attached the FEMA flood map.
When asked about any releases from nearby dams on New Year’s Day, the spokesperson wrote the city does not have any stormwater or dam releases.
Velasco has filed a claim with the city in connection with this latest storm.
