This week's significant rainstorm caused flash flooding and damage to Wilder Ranch State Park. Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks seeks support for recovery efforts.
Jan. 24, 2024—Note: Our friends at Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks posted this on social media today. We thought you’d like to know about it. Here is their Facebook post (scroll down for text version):
Text of Facebook post, without emojis:
This week’s significant rainstorm caused flash flooding at Wilder Ranch.
Good news first — the Wilder Ranch State Park farm animals are safe and the park remains open, except for the backcountry trails.
But the storm dumped 4 inches of rain in the area and caused Wilder Creek to flood, damaging portions of the park’s historic dairy ranch. Your help is needed.
The Visitor Center and ParkStore building was severely flooded, with water approximately 3 feet deep damaging displays and merchandise. The building is closed until further notice.
The Cow Barn was inundated with water and sediment, leaving a 2-inch-thick layer of mud on the floor and covering the cows’ grazing area in silt. There also was water intrusion into the bunkhouse and stables.
The flooding took out multiple sections of wooden fencing and piled tons of silt and sediment along the banks of Wilder Creek.
Would you like to help? You can support short-term response and long-term recovery efforts by making a donation to Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks — https://bit.ly/donateforparks. Please add a comment that the gift is for “Wilder Ranch.”
Thank you.
Stay tuned for more updates. There’s more rain coming, so stay safe!
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