Upper Midwest Rain Now At My Door

[linuxman]

I know that all of you have seen on the news the terrible flooding in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and other place up North from a few weeks ago.

I thought I would post some pictures of what that rain looks like as it filters down the Mississippi River to where I am.

Keep in mind that our little town is about a little over a mile from the main river, and it is right beside a tributary called the Cuivre River.

Our little town is only about 5 blocks by 5 blocks square.

I'll try to get the pictures in order and we will start on the East side of town about a block and a half from me. Then move to the South side where the levee is a block from me. Then the North side which is 5 blocks from me with an over-view from the bluff across the highway on our West.



I have been a little busy since last Monday. The predicted crest for today at that time was 3 feet higher than it turned out to be. We decided to move most of our things, both business and residential to storage up on the bluff. We had about 90% of our stuff out of the building, and then last Thursday, they lowered the crest prediction.

We could still get flooded by a big rainfall with the water that high on the bridges which would then back up over the levee from the Cuivre side. We are praying that won't happen, but we are prepared in case it does.

The water level will be with us for about 2 weeks to a month, and then the threat will be gone.

Don't worry, I moved all my satellite parts to safety, and the dishes on the roof won't be touched by flood.

 

[iafirebuff]

GOOD LUCK to you! I hope it does not get as bad as it did here - we bet our record flood by over 10 feet! That is some nasty water! It has killed all vegitation that it has touched around here - you can see in the wooded areas just how high the water was because all the grass and trees are dead - some trees up to the tops. Really weird to see. Anyway, good luck to you!

 

[linuxman]

Thanks Larry!

My oldest daughter is coming to Cedar Rapids with a group from Mizzou called Project Columbia to help with flood relief next week.

We still can see the flood line from 93 around here too.

The 4th picture from the left above was some of the finest looking wheat I have ever seen until 3 days ago. It only needed another week to be harvested. As you can see it is all under water now.

 

[iafirebuff]

The corn around here is usually 3-4 foot high about now. I have seen corn 6' tall at the 4th of July. Around here it is maybe 6-12" tall at the most. Sounds like food prices will be going up even more.

 

[Mr Tony]

Dang man....hang in there. Hopefully the water doesn't come IN the door

 

[linuxman]

I'm hanging Iceberg.

We just had a heavy thunderstorm pass through from the west to the East about a half hour ago. They have started sand-bagging the bridge and the Cuivre levee just before the storm started based on the forecast.

The rain was heavy but didn't last too long, but that has now soaked the ground over a wide area to our West and Northwest. Any further rain in the next couple of days in that area will be run off. That run off will come down the Cuivre on top of what is there already.

That's why I moved most of my stuff out. The neighbors all think I am crazy for moving because the levee held in 93, but they all think I am crazy anyway because of my dishes.

If we get a 2 inch wide-spread rain like today during the next couple of days, then I will be the smartest guy in town.

 

[voomvoom]

I hope for everyone else's sake, you turn out to not be the smartest man in town. No one will blame you for trying to protest your assets though. It's still a smart move, even if you are the only Nut in the Corn Chip Silo......

 

[linuxman]

I hope for everyone else's sake, you turn out to not be the smartest man in town. No one will blame you for trying to protest your assets though. It's still a smart move, even if you are the only Nut in the Corn Chip Silo......

Thanks Al!

I agree 100%. I would still rather be the guy everyone thinks is nuts.

I just hope and pray it won't rain too much. There is rain in the forecast off and on for the rest of the week, but it is the weatherman's guess as to how much we will get.

The volunteers are still sandbagging over there now. My wife went over to the park to help fill the bags for a while. My son's CAP unit got re-activated this morning to go up to Winfield to help at the Command Center. The final levee in Winfield (4 miles North) is in real danger of breaking. That is the only remaining levee that hasn't broken up there. If it goes, about 30 - 50 houses will go under.

BTW, I shot a few pictures of uplink trucks in the past couple of days. There has been more news from around here than in the past several years.

 

[gabshere]

wow look at all those dishes
any of them ask to use yours

you should have called i would have helped you move that stuff
and i bet hes not the only corn chip in the silo , but i'ld rather be a dry one than a soggy one

 

[Mr Tony]

wow look at all those dishes
any of them ask to use yours

I was thinking the same thing. These news trucks probably drive by and go "damn...what TV station is here?"

 

[linuxman]

I was thinking the same thing. These news trucks probably drive by and go "damn...what TV station is here?"

The guys from the KTVI truck did ask what I was doing with all the dishes.

All I said was that I was receiving free and legal un-encrypted TV from all over the world. I also told them that I get their free channel OTA too, and they just laughed.

you should have called i would have helped you move that stuff

Nah, we had plenty of help. My son's CAP entire unit came on Tuesday and spent about 6 hours helping us before they were activated to Winfield. We also had 3 or 4 different groups come out from our Church that helped on Tuesday and then the rest of the week. My Linux Users Group came out Friday and Saturday and helped too.

 

[gabshere]

The guys from the KTVI truck did ask what I was doing with all the dishes.

All I said was that I was receiving free and legal un-encrypted TV from all over the world. I also told them that I get their free channel OTA too, and they just laughed.

lol you should have told them its home of KLNX

 

[tvropro]

Hang in there Fred. It's always darkest before the dawn.

You should have asked those CNN guys in the trucks what bird the feeds were going to be on.

 

[linuxman]

lol you should have told them its home of KLNX

I never thought of it, or I would have.

You should have asked those CNN guys in the trucks what bird the feeds were going to be on.

Didn't have to ask, I could tell by the way the dish was pointed. Had to be on G11. I saw another one of their trucks, and it had to be pointed at AMC 5. My oldest daughter commented at the time, "Only you would know what satellite they were pointing at."

 

[stogie5150]

T & P's for y'all Fred, I have seen the effects of water...I know what it is. Hang in there and if there's anything we can do, let us know. :up

Everyone made fun of us before Katrina for bugging out so early, after the storm they told us how smart we were. You're doing the right thing.

 

[linuxman]

T & P's for y'all Fred, I have seen the effects of water...I know what it is. Hang in there and if there's anything we can do, let us know. :up

Everyone made fun of us before Katrina for bugging out so early, after the storm they told us how smart we were. You're doing the right thing.

Thanks Stogie!

We know we did the right thing, and truthfully I think there are others who now wish they had followed our lead.

 

[ACRadio]

I never thought of it, or I would have.


Didn't have to ask, I could tell by the way the dish was pointed. Had to be on G11. I saw another one of their trucks, and it had to be pointed at AMC 5. My oldest daughter commented at the time, "Only you would know what satellite they were pointing at."

Don't forget CNN has resources on AMC3 too...

 

[linuxman]

Don't forget CNN has resources on AMC3 too...

I forgot at the AMC3 spots, but I think for sure the two trucks I saw were at the other two orbital locations.

 

[duchen]

Hang in there..

I hope for everyone's sake that the waters recede soon.
Anyway, it cannot hurt to take your belongings and leave for awhile. The price for being wrong is much smaller than the other way around.

I always leave when they tell us to go when there are Hurricane warnings. my friends laugh at me, but I remember when my parents woke me up in 1965 because there was sea water in my bedroom during Hurricane Cleo.

My friends are much more respectful after a Cat 2 Wilma pushed bay water onto the wetern edge of Miami Beach a couple of years ago.

 

[linuxman]

The price for being wrong is much smaller than the other way around.

You are so right!

I have lived on the Mississippi or near it most of my life. I have sand-bagged from the time I was 16 when they used to come and get us from High School to go help. I have helped friends and family who were trying to move furniture and memories while water was already up to our waist.

After the water is already on you is no time to try and get things out. I will not put my family through that ever!