This winter, the U.S. state of California received unusually large amounts of rain and snow. Now, people worry that some areas will flood as the snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains melts. Ron Caetano lives about half-way between the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. He is preparing to leave in case his community, called the Island District, floods. “The water is coming this way,” said Caetano, who started a Facebook group to help organize his neighbors. “I am preparing for the worst and praying for the best and that’s all we can do.” More than 100 years ago, the Island District area was under a large lake named Tulare Lake. At one time, Tulare Lake was the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River. But dams and watering systems for agriculture caused it to disappear. However, in very rainy years, farmland can still get covered with water. Experts say reservoirs near the area will likely receive three times more water than they can hold this year. That means officials must increase the amount of water they release from the reservoirs. If too much water is released, the area might flood. The Island District has organized a community network to help prepare for floods. People are placing sandbags on elderly neighbors’ property to block possible flooding. And they are looking at reports from water officials, county officials, and from each other.
Title: California Communities Prepare for Floods from Melting Snow
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/T4.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='California Communities Prepare for Floods from Melting Snow' data-article-id='6458'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='11563'>This winter, the U.S. state of California received unusually large amounts of rain and snow. </span> <span data-start-time='11563' data-end-time='23563'>Now, people worry that some areas will flood as the snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains melts.</span> <span data-start-time='23563' data-end-time='34500'>Ron Caetano lives about half-way between the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. </span> <span data-start-time='34500' data-end-time='43333'>He is preparing to leave in case his community, called the Island District, floods.</span> <span data-start-time='43333' data-end-time='53688'>“The water is coming this way,” said Caetano, who started a Facebook group to help organize his neighbors. </span> <span data-start-time='53688' data-end-time='62333'>“I am preparing for the worst and praying for the best and that’s all we can do.”</span> <span data-start-time='62333' data-end-time='73000'>More than 100 years ago, the Island District area was under a large lake named Tulare Lake. </span> <span data-start-time='73000' data-end-time='81583'>At one time, Tulare Lake was the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River. </span> <span data-start-time='81583' data-end-time='90646'>But dams and watering systems for agriculture caused it to disappear. </span> <span data-start-time='90646' data-end-time='98979'>However, in very rainy years, farmland can still get covered with water.</span> <span data-start-time='98979' data-end-time='111771'>Experts say reservoirs near the area will likely receive three times more water than they can hold this year. </span> <span data-start-time='111771' data-end-time='120813'>That means officials must increase the amount of water they release from the reservoirs. </span> <span data-start-time='120813' data-end-time='127458'>If too much water is released, the area might flood.</span> <span data-start-time='127458' data-end-time='135083'>The Island District has organized a community network to help prepare for floods. </span> <span data-start-time='135083' data-end-time='143563'>People are placing sandbags on elderly neighbors’ property to block possible flooding. </span> <span data-start-time='143563' data-end-time='153375'>And they are looking at reports from water officials, county officials, and from each other.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/T4.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=19411 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/this_winter_the_us_state_of_california_received_unusually_large_amounts_of__blank__and_snow_.wav'>This winter, the U.S. state of California received unusually large amounts of <span class='blank'>rain</span> and snow. </div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='rain'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/paint.wav'><span>paint</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/rain.wav'><span>rain</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/shame.wav'><span>shame</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/raisins.wav'><span>raisins</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=19412 data-hint-location='135083' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/what_items_are_used_as_a_way_to_protect_property_from_possible_flooding.wav'>What items are used as a way to protect property from possible flooding?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='sandbags'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/sand_castles.wav'><span>sand castles</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/sandbags.wav'><span>sandbags</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/sunscreen.wav'><span>sunscreen</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/spaceships.wav'><span>spaceships</span></div></div></div><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=19413 data-hint-location='98979' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/which_of_the_following_is_a_definition_of_the_word_reservoir.wav'>Which of the following is a definition of the word reservoir?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='a body of water that is meant to store water for use by people and agriculture'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/an_arrangement_to_make_use_of_something_ahead_of_time.wav'><span>an arrangement to make use of something ahead of time</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/admiration_of_someone_or_something.wav'><span>admiration of someone or something</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/a_body_of_water_that_is_meant_to_store_water_for_use_by_people_and_agriculture.wav'><span>a body of water that is meant to store water for use by people and agriculture</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5850/the_act_of_hitting_a_ball_over_a_net.wav'><span>the act of hitting a ball over a net</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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