Saturday, March 21, 2009

Pictures

The water has come up several feet more over the last day. Fortunately we worked hard and got everything in our out buildings lifted off the floor as yesterday afternoon the water went into the storage building. It doesn't have far to go to get into Ole's shop. And our forecast is for heavy rain Sunday night through Tuesday. Is this Armageddon?

This is a shot of our driveway looking out toward the highway. We have to drive through 25 feet of water that's anywhere from 8 to 12 inches deep. I don't dare take my car through it so Ole brought our old 4-wheel drive truck that sits real high up to the house - you know - the kind you need a step ladder to get into - and we decided to go for a ride around the countryside to see what was happening both downstream and upstream.



This is called overland flooding and is what is currently surrounding the river basin. You drive for miles and this is what you see. All this still has to run into the main stream of the river yet.


This is our neighbor to the east. Her road is underwater for about a half mile. The bridge is in the middle of that half mile and is submerged.


Here's a closeup of her house. She sits on a little island. That's the way our house is set up also - we have our own private little mountain that we sit atop of. It's tough on basements though, and you better have a good sump pump and not lose power like some folks did yesterday.

Here's more overland flooding from a different direction. That's our little village in the background, but that sits up high enough so there's no water threatening anybody.




More neighbors to the east. Stony Creek runs by their house - and flushes into the main river. This is currently Stony Creek.



This is the neighbor to the south. He's got a real mess. He sits quite a bit lower than we do. Back in the spring of 1997 when we had a horrible, terrible winter and record floods in the spring, he took it upon himself to build his own dike.


In the state of Minnesota you have to have all kinds of permits and licenses to build a dike on your own property. The state wouldn't grant him the permits so he just did it on his own. The dike is 12 feet high. The heavy equipment was running night and day working in rising water to complete this dike and save his house. Somebody from the state got ahold of the information that he was building anyway and came out with the sheriff to stop him. The dike was almost done when they stopped him. He was short 2 inches of dirt on top of the dike and he lost his house. He got three feet of water on his main floor. Then after the flood was over the state was going to force him to take it down. He got lawyers involved and won his case and was even allowed to finish the dike.
That may be what we end up doing. More politics you know - - - but fortunately we don't need a dike 12 feet high - only about 4.
Here's another shot of the river over by his house. It's really ugly and is starting to form an ice jam under the bridge I was standing on.



Here's the railroad bridge right by our house. The water is touching the beams when it's normally about 15 feet below the beams. This is another impediment when it gets this high. During 1997 the water flowed over the rails. See the ice starting to accumulate on the upstream side of the bridge? That causes it to back up even more and the flooding gets deeper.
Here's the highway bridge that's right next to the railroad bridge - practically in our backyard. When the water gets deep enough it flows right over the highway.
Another shot taken from the highway bridge.

Say your prayers for me, Friends, so that we don't have to empty out our basement in preparation for water to come rolling in. The forecast is for a bit of a reprieve and a drop of a few inches before the rain hits. If we get as much rain as we are forecast we may as well hop in our boat and sail away because we'll be under water big time. When water gets this close to your home and you don't know when it's going to stop rising, it's extremely stressful.
Love Lena


8 comments:

Schnitzel and the Trout said...

I am so sorry that this is happening to you. I can remember watching the rain come too close to our home years ago. People in cities cannot even imagine what it is like. Praying for you.

Anonymous said...

Nature can be a wicked beast! I'll be hoping for low waters!

Meggie Marchstives@gmail.com said...

Holy Cow! I've never seen anything like that, and so much snow and ice still. YUCK! Your pictures (along with narration) really help tell the story. I certainly understand your fear.

Marge said...

Prayers are going forth. I wish I was closer so I could come and help. Help do what, I don't know, but I could help. Please keep us informed so we don't worry about you any more than necessary!

Stay safe and be blessed.

Anonymous said...

Uffda meg! How awful.

StitchinByTheLake said...

My parents were flooded out once Lena and I remember how scary it was. I'm so sorry it's gotten to this point and I'll be praying it goes no farther. blessings, marlene

Anonymous said...

That is so scary. The little town I grew up in used to flood every Spring. (Okies aren't known for their wisdom, I guess.) My fingers are crossed and my prayers are with you!

Anonymous said...

OMG...the pictures tell it all. And what is wrong with those #$#$@# politicans? All you want to do is protect your hosue and it seems the right palms need to be greased and the right lawyers need to be involved. Good luck my friends.