Businesses along Ventura Blvd. in Studio City Calif. are flooded after a water main burst under Coldwater Canyon Blvd early Sunday morning Sept. 6, 2009 just south of Ventura Blvd. unleashing a torrent of tens of thousands of gallons of water along the famous street. (AP Photo/Mike Meadows)
Late last night a 64-inch water main burst in Studio City at Ventura Boulevard and Coldwater Canyon, according to the LA Times. The water flooded into area businesses and homes, and was 3-4' high in places, according to an LAFD email alert.
Although no one was hurt in the break, which took place around 10:30 Saturday night, one person had to be rescued from their vehicle, and area residents have evacuated. A shelter was established at Miliken Middle School (5041 Sunnyslope Ave). The old water main was reportedly scheduled for replacement, and served as a connection between two reservoirs, according to a live abc7 report. About a half-dozen homes are reporting damage and a carport collapsed.
The flooding has forced the closure of several Studio City streets, which will continue into today and beyond. Ventura Blvd between Whisett & Fulton is expected to be closed until noon today, and Coldwater Canyon South of Ventura Blvd for 2-3 days.





According to LADWP, this 62-inch riveted steel trunkline, one of the largest in the city, connects the Los Angeles Reservoir in Sylmar (the terminus of the LA aqueduct) to the Franklin Canyon Reservoir in Franklin Canyon Park.
The Franklin Canyon Reservoir was removed from service in the 1980s, so no water customers will be affected by the trunkline rupture.
I saw a similar trunkline rupture about 20 years ago in Sherman Oaks, when the line connecting the Los Angeles Reservoir to the Stone Canyon Reservoir broke.
It was pretty impressive - the fountain of water coming up out of the street created a a dome of surging water about 6-7 feet high and about twenty feet in diameter.
Was driving home from Mel's last night, and hit this.
Ventura was flooding hard. Even Valleyheart Drive, west of Coldwater, was flooding. Tried taking that to get around the Ventura brake lights, and saw people turning back. When I got to the intersection of Valleyheart and Coldwater, I saw why. Coldwater turned into a river!
Ironic street name. :P