SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL
San Lorenzo River water running next to the Boardwalk

By SHANNA MCCORD – Santa Cruz Sentinelsantacruzsentinel.com
Posted: 03/14/2012 06:19:52 PM PDT

Recent rains have swollen the San Lorenzo River and pushed the course…

SANTA CRUZ – The rapidly flowing San Lorenzo River, instead of heading straight to sea, has taken a sharp right turn onto the beach and delivered the Boardwalk a scare.

River water, running parallel to the amusement park, has crept precariously close to the concrete retaining wall that separates the beach and Boardwalk.

Early Wednesday, a wooden staircase to the beach, was ripped apart by the meandering river water and washed into the ocean, Boardwalk spokesman Kris Reyes said.

Amusement park employees spent Wednesday building up piles of sand on the beach to prevent water from seeping under the Boardwalk and causing serious damage, Reyes said.

Most worrisome was the possibility of water flooding and eroding under the Boardwalk where the retaining wall ends on the north end of the park, he said.

It’s common for the San Lorenzo River to run parallel to the amusement park during and after heavy rains. However, Wednesday was the closest the water has ever reached the park, Reyes said.

He estimated damages at “several thousand dollars.”

“Certainly it was an inconvenience,” Reyes said.

Follow Sentinel reporter Shanna McCord on Twitter @scnewsmom

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_20174945/san-lorenzo-river-water-running-next-boardwalk?source=pkg