I was unable to snap the weekly picture last weekend so I present it now.
This is what happened. The last week in February, we knew a big flood was coming but we've been through them before and weren't particularly worried. Monday morning, the 28th, NOAA reported it would crest at 19' (5.8 m) that very night. 14' (4.3 m), give or take, is as high as it's ever been here so 19' sounded seriously catastrophic. We threw clean underwear and prescriptions in the car, moved everything in the house as high up as we could, drove through floodwater to board the dogs, and hightailed it to a motel room in town.
As it turned out, the 19' prediction was erroneous and none of this was necessary, but by the time we learned of the mistake, all roads were flooded and closed and we were stuck in town. It pained me that I wasn't here to watch the action and take pictures but it probably looked very much like the Flood of '08. Our low, back room flooded but it can be fixed. Books, music, and clothes survived.
This is what's left, as of yesterday.
The field across the road
The pond is under all this, somewhere. It's okay, the level was low anyway.
This stretch of road in front of the house is dry now but the road is still flooded to the south and we have to detour to get out.
And all that's left is the mud! Imagine, if you will, 12 dog feet galloping and cavorting through this. There will be some continuing cleanup until we get a good, long blast of sunshine.
11 comments:
Jain:
I'm so glad to hear your books and such came through unharmed. That is just wonderful news!
Predictions here were also wrong, but in the other direction. Last week the crest was supposed to be something like 32 feet. This is measured above the passive earthen dam (no water control other than a spillway) that's upstream about a mile and a half. The graph looked some scary, but not too scary. A 32 foot crest means water at the top of the bank for use, which would be about 12 ft. in the river, or 8-9 ft. higher than normal. At that point we have about 18 inches leeway to in the house and onto the main floor.
Instead of 32 ft. the river kept climbing—34, 35. 37, 38, 40…and then suddenly a quick spike to above 44! That's one of the higher measurements since 1913, and the highest we'd ever seen. We had no idea what it would do—and still it kept rising—finally cresting at just under 45 feet. Our 18 inches leeway shrank to a foot, 11 inches, 10, 8, 7…and maybe even 6 at one time. The 44-plus numbers held above the dam. More rain was predicted…and I had to leave for a conference in Columbus!
But, we stayed dry. Might have lost some earth along the bank near the front of the cottage, but will have to wait and see. Otherwise, it's just a soggy yard, a bad scare, and a body that's near collapse.
I'm so glad we both have good reports.
Oh, Grizz, that doesn't sound like such a good report, it sounds very frightening! I'm so glad to hear that you stayed dry, though.
I thoroughly understand the "body near collapse." After night after night of fitful 4-hour sleeps, I slept for nearly 13 hours last night.
May our springs be just wet-enough/dry-enough and loaded with more wildflowers than we can photograph!
HI Jain..my goodness I am very happy for you that all worked out as well as it did!! .
I have never had to experience any thing like that, whew!!
Well I do hope you get some sun and some drying breezes to help get rid of all that mud.
Thanks for the kind wishes, Grammie.
I saw video (on my local television news station here in southeastern Pennsylvania) of a house, newly constructed on stilts on the banks of the Scioto, collapse into the river and get washed away. The guy must not have emplaced footers for the stilts because the whole thing toppled over intact. He said he'd rebuild...
Wishing you lots of wildflowers this year too, Jain. Did it snow there last night...did here.
Scott, it's just plain stupid to live here but I understand the guy rebuilding. I spent many of my years in towns and would find it very hard to go upland and leave the herons, beavers, eagles, and snappers behind.
Wanda, a couple of inches of snow fell Thursday night but melted Friday. I'm going to especially appreciate the wildflowers this year -- what a winter it's been!
Hi Jain. I'm delighted to learn the forecast was wrong but hey that's a hell of a lot of water. I have only ever seen our garden fully under water but that was some 30 years ago ... not something I would enjoy on an annual basis. Hope you get plenty of sunshine soon to dry things out.
Frank, it's mind boggling to see the water flowing and flowing and flowing, day after day after day. Thanks much for your sunshine wishes!
We're so glad the 19' crest never transpired! How on earth do you keep all that mud out of your house with the pups? It's a challenge with the muddy cat feet from our basement! Anyways, so glad you all survived - well! Enjoy the sunshine today. :)
Thanks, J&S! To keep mud out of the house, we maintain a "decompression zone" by the back door: a kiddie gate that keeps the pups on a rug by the door till they prance the dirt off of their feet. The sunshine... and wind!... have been greatly appreciated, if not downright worshiped, the last few days.
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