Thursday, May 28, 2015

flood stage


I went down to Riverside Park to check out the river in flood Wednesday afternoon. Riverside Park is pretty high up from the river with long fairly steep banks and switchback walkways down to a fishing deck. But unfortunately no good canoe ramp. I wasn't the only one. There were quite a few of the townspeople coming and going doing the same thing as me.

I took a few pictures and my first video ever which I have managed to embed in this post (I think. I followed all the instructions and it appears to be here but I won't know for sure til I hit publish. edit I guess you need Adobe Flash plug-in to see the video. It shows up fine on my screen but Marc can't see it on his). The pictures don't really convey the immensity of the amount of water here, and more to come, partially because you don't have a before picture to compare it to but also because, as I found after being a river guide for a few years in a majestic canyon, pictures of power often fall flat. At least they do when I take them.

Anyway... Here's some photos of the high water and my video which I made so you could see how fast the water is moving.







Water is powerful stuff. A person can drown in a foot of water if the force of the moving water is strong enough. I saw lots of examples of the power of water during my years as a river guide and not only it's effects on the physical world.

When I realized I hadn't seen the last, sweep boat in too long, I stopped and waited. When I saw a bailer and a water bottle float past me I started back upstream to find one of the most capable among us had gotten his boat wrapped around a boulder in two feet of water and he and his paddling partner had not been able to free it even after they unloaded it.

It's a great metaphor for life I think. The stone age cultures certainly thought so.





11 comments:

  1. If there is a video, I don't see it. Only three pictures. I went straight to your blog this morning when I read in a new story that the mayor of Wharton had asked 300+ families to evacuate. Was worried you might be one. This flooding reminds me of my high school days in Houston. Being dropped off several blocks from school, my shoes, along with my books in plastic, wading barefoot in the streets to school.
    I do hope all is ok with you and your family, home, and flowers.

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  2. The video worked fine for me and my Lord! That water IS moving fast. Are you in danger where you live?

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  3. Marc and I are in no danger. We are 3 miles from the river and higher up.

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  4. i was able to view the video just fine. a LOT of water. i like your respect for it.

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  5. May people respect the power of water and stay safe.

    Great photos

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  6. Stay safe,it can make big problems fast. I gave up on my river home after floods in 98 and 08, buying a home in town. My farm is high and dry.

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  7. Being a survivor of a flash flood, I have a huge respect for the power and energy of water. My thoughts are with all in the areas affected by this crazy weather situation.

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  8. I have no doubt about the power of that water; I've seen the Cuyahoga River flood three times in my thirty years here. The creek at the bottom of the ravine in my back yard has flooded my neighbor, who is lower on the hill. Water is powerful.

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  9. There is a similar park here. It has also flooded. I can never remember if it's Riverview or Riverwoods Park. So we call it Riverpoo Park. I hope your park is okay.

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  10. That IS a lot of water. It looks like it's really dragging on that little (willow?) tree. I imagine floods are hell on riparian plant life.

    It's cool to be sitting in London watching your video from Texas!

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  11. I think those pictures show the power of the water quite well!

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