California Farmer Drove His Chevy INto a Levee - To Prevent Flooding

Chris Teague
by Chris Teague

Desperate times lead to desperate measures. Faced with insane precipitation and flooding, some California farmers are going all out to protect their crops, one of which released a video on Twitter showing their efforts. 


Cannon Michael’s video shows a farmer putting his Chevrolet Silverado into drive before jumping out and letting the truck roll into the water ahead. The massively breached levy already has one truck submerged when the Chevy settles in next to it. Both trucks’ beds are packed with dirt and rocks, and we presume the farmers dropped more material on top to add weight to the barrier. Unorthodox? Yes, but the plot appears to have worked. 


We could rattle on about how using gas-filled machines packed with dirt may not be the best thing for the environment or the watershed, but there’s little help available in those areas and the water system can be quickly overwhelmed with surges of rainwater or snow melt. 


The Tulare County Sheriff’s office, where the video is believed to have been taken, issued evacuation orders for the region earlier this week. Fed by record snowpacks on higher ground, the Tule River is spilling over the containment measures and could be a danger in lower areas. 


[Image: Cannon Michael via Twitter]


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Chris Teague
Chris Teague

Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.

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15 of 56 comments
  • Lou_BC Lou_BC on Mar 17, 2023

    A Ford and Chevy being used as fill. A Ram driver would say that's a good start! ;)

    • Jeff S Jeff S on Mar 17, 2023

      The Ram would breakdown before you could use it as a dam.


  • VoGhost VoGhost on Mar 17, 2023

    Farmers are especially optimistic their CyberTrucks will be ready soon.

    • See 2 previous
    • VoGhost VoGhost on Mar 17, 2023

      That's right, kwik-shift - no need for a snorkle, and the waterproof bed allows CT to float like a boat for short periods.


  • Doc423 Doc423 on Mar 17, 2023

    "Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was......WET"

    • Jeff S Jeff S on Mar 18, 2023

      Free drinks for everyone the bar is open. Don McLean


  • Hunter Hunter on Mar 20, 2023

    Ah California. They've been praying for water for years, and now that it's here they don't know what to do with it.

    • See 5 previous
    • 95_SC 95_SC on Apr 14, 2023

      Nonsense. Slavuta is Putin’s favorite commentator


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