Don't have any pictures as the river reached peak level after dark. This one was much bigger than the previous; had serious water flowing on all sides of the house and barns. The buildings are mostly high enough to be out of the flood water, but I had to move some equipment - again.
Water peaked around 8pm tonight and is going down now. I'm marking the high water levels around the farm to set the level for future improvements - mostly so that I can lay walkways that are higher than the water level I saw today.
I wrote a few days ago that I thought that this flood would be bigger than the last, and it was. It doesn't seem like much, but the difference between a 14.72' flood level and a 15.09' flood level here is pretty intense. I've got 2 to 3' of fast-flowing water over my fields at this point - my farm is at a bend in the river, and when that river comes over the bank it straightens out and barrels through my land.
This is the 4th biggest flood ever recorded for this river, since at least 1931. This is a big deal.
I'll know more in the morning, but I have to say it's been an exciting night.
We just moved to Ebey Island this past summer and are experiencing flood watching for the first time. Interesting read. We'll be following your blog!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Ebey. there's some very nice ground there, but every year I had to sweat the flood season - november to Feb. On the north end of the island the water can get 10' deep in a flood; the south side, down by ebey gardens, is higher, so it doens't flood. It's a good idea to figure out who the dike commissioners are and have their numbers handy. the more warning y ou get of a problem the better.
ReplyDeleteThe last time the dike broke was in...2009? And I had 18" water on my place before they got it all fixed. Engines running, livestock on trailers...