Actually some of our fruit and nut trees do very will with winter flooding.
We have a pistachio tree and plum tree that never did anything until a neighbor’s drip irrigation sprang a leak over a long weekend. We were away and so was he. We had a foot of water over the ground where the trees were.
Later, both trees did great. We are expecting similar results after our heavy rains. Even with a french drain around those trees, there is standing water of 3-4 inches.
My wife gave me an olive tree for Christmas, and it was planted a few days before Christmas. A friend, who has an Olive orchard for olive oil, said the rain has been great for a new tree and their older trees. Her olive trees have been in at least 6 inches of standing water since early Feb.. She is very happy.
I wish I could grow that stuff in MA.
I am really praying that the dams hold the big stuff back. I drove through that part of California (from Yosemite up to the coast and then to seattle.)
That “heartland” was just gorgeous.