Light rain blamed for crashes but no increase in water levels reported

The light rain over the last two days on the Central Coast has done little to enhance rainfall, but it was believed to be a contributing factor to crashes.

Early Monday morning there were several crashes along the Gaviota Coast including spinouts, cars over the side and a vehicle into an embankment.

Later in the morning, a truck went off the freeway at Fairview with no serious injuries.

In the pre-dawn hours, a vehicle crash on the Turnpike overpass trapped a driver who eventually got out and witnesses said, ran from the scene.

About 10:30 in the morning, in what was not said to be weather related, a driver reaching for a parking lot machine ticket stretched from the front seat of the car with the door open and the vehicle rolled backward injuring the driver. She was taken to Cottage Hospital.

Levels at Cachuma Lake are still a concern. The main water source for the South Coast is 70 percent below the spill level at Bradbury Dam. No significant rain is in the forecast for the rest of the year.

Santa Barbara resident Mike Irwin said, “if you look at Cachuma and it is so far down, it is scary.” He still saving water on a regular basis and capturing it from his roof to “feed the fruit trees. It is amazing what comes off the roof.”

Hamid Ziaee was on a walk through Shoreline park looking at the mixed rain clouds passing by and says he still saves water in many ways. “I’m not taking a shower at the house. I am just going to the gym. And tell my kids to do ten minutes maximum get out of the shower!”

Many residents are doing the same and the water conservation levels for months have been in excess of 30 percent in Santa Barbara which is one of the highest in the state.