Aventura — Dangerous snowpack and flooding across Yosemite Valley

by Aventura on May 01, 2023

Due to heavy snowmelt, Yosemite Valley's Merced River has overflowed, causing flooding throughout the area. The valley was closed on Friday evening, with closures expected to last until Monday due to rapidly rising temperatures. Flood warnings have been issued for Mariposa, Fresno, Tulare, and Kings counties due to the excessive runoff.

The river is expected to crest at a flood stage of approximately 11 feet on Sunday morning, the highest level in years. Visitors have been given full refunds for any bookings in Yosemite Valley. While tourists enjoyed new waterfalls on Friday, this year's record-breaking snow depths have prevented climbers from scaling El Capitan, and campers from accessing many areas of the park. Yosemite's officials are concerned about the impact of drought, snowpack, wildfires, and flooding caused by climate change.

Although Yosemite's tourism generates about $686 million per year and supports nearly 8,000 jobs, closing the park for safety purposes is an essential measure. The park is scheduled to remain open, dependent on traffic congestion, for the Western Yosemite Valley.

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