School may close due to risk of sinking

By Samantha Nelson OCEANSIDE —

Reynolds Elementary may close due to safety concerns after soil tests revealed the presence of water in the ground underneath the school, rendering the property unsuitable for renovations.

School district administrators alerted families earlier this month of the soil test results collected as part of mandatory preparations for the campus’s modernization project. Last year, the school board approved the project to demolish and rebuild the school.

Earlier this year, a team of engineers found the soil condition on campus unsuitable for the planned reconstruction due to soil liquefaction, a loss of ground strength that temporarily causes the soil to liquefy.

If an earthquake occurs, campus buildings could sink or incur other structural damages.

During the tests, holes drilled into the campus ground found water at a depth of 10.5 feet, possibly due to the Foss Lake wetland area adjacent to the school. Water under the