Cal Trans crews clear the remains of fallen trees Mon., Jan 5, 2026 after a landslide undercut the edge of Hwy 116, taking the guard rail with it, above the Russian River east of Monte Rio near Santa Clara Road. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
A washout late Monday along a bend of the storm-swollen lower Russian River has led authorities to close eastbound Highway 116 near Monte Rio.
Eastbound traffic was being diverted into the westbound lane, according to Gold Ridge Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Steve Baxman.
The Russian River is undercutting a 100-foot-long segment of the road, eating away as much as 75 lateral feet of the highway. The closure was first reported by the California Highway Patrol about 4:05 p.m. The closure was just west of the village of Monte Rio near Monte Cristo Avenue.
“Everything is going to be a mess,” Baxman said. No injuries were reported and the nearest home is vacant, he said.
“They’re going to have to block this so no one goes into the river,” he said.
Highway 116 leads from Guerneville along the river out to the coast.
The closure comes amid a drenching rainstorm that arrived Monday and forced road closures across Sonoma County. As of about 3:30 p.m., about 5 inches of rainfall were recorded north of Monte Rio around Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve.
A Monte Rio weather gauge recorded 1.2 inches of rain between 5:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday, said Karleisa Rogacheski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Bay Area office. There had been 2.02 inches of rain over the 24-hour period ending at 5:30 p.m. Monday.
Also during those 24 hours, 1.65 inches of rain was recorded at Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport. As much as 1.85 inches was reported in Santa Rosa with 0.67 inches in Napa.
Rogacheski said conditions were expected to dry up into Monday night.
The lower Russian River in Guerneville was at 20 feet Monday evening and was expected to rise by Tuesday afternoon to 29 feet, below the 32-foot flood stage.
Originally published at Colin Atagi