Resulted in no service interruptions; district to consult with Caltrans for repairs
According to a Tuesday evening announcement from Sonoma Water, a small sinkhole formed on the 17000 block of River Road near the Russian River County Sanitation District lift station near Guerneville on Tuesday.
The approximately 24 inch-by-36 inch sinkhole was created by a small hole near the top of an underground manhole and is located on the edge of the roadway, and traffic is temporarily down to one lane near the Riverside Drive intersection while a temporary steel plate is installed and will remain in place until the necessary repairs are made.
“The hole in the manhole is believed to be the result of corrosion in the 40-year-old structure. The hole created by the corrosion on the side of the manhole is located 3-4 feet below the surface of the ground. Soil falling through the hole from outside the manhole weakened the area around the manhole and created the sinkhole. The incident did not result in any discharge or spill. Wastewater continued to flow into the lift station, which pumps wastewater to the district’s treatment plant,” said Sonoma Water principal programs specialist Barry Dugan in a press release.
According to Dugan, there was no interruption of service to sanitation customers as a result of the sinkhole.
Water district officials are planning to consult with Caltrans on Wednesday to develop a plan for the repairs, which are expected to start immediately.
