Another Birthday Vacation

I had yet another birthday recently, they seem to come faster and faster.  My wife made snacks and we had some people over last Saturday evening to celebrate.  Thanks to all who came over!  I took the week off for my birthday again this year but, once again, I had no big projects planned but a reasonable list of chores I wanted to get done.  And sleep, sleep is very good.  As I type the chore list is mostly complete but we'll just have to see how the rest goes.

Otherwise, I've been out on the bike a couple times and got some more pictures of the swollen creek.  I've not made it all the way to a lake yet, but I do plan on biking to probably Olbrich Park later today or tomorrow.  I know I have pictures of the shoreline from winter to compare to, well, we'll just see what I find.  Lake Monona has been up to 3 feet over it's predetermined maximum, as reflected in the creek.  I'll put another Flood post together in a day or two.

In other happenings, the Packers and Badgers have started playing so there goes much of my time on weekends for the next few months.  My mom broke her foot - sorry ma, I'm not traveling during my vacation but I'm sure Dan is taking very good care of you.  I hope you get well soon.  And I'm still enjoying the fire pit almost every chance I get.  Even just sitting by the fire for an hour or two in the evening is so simple yet lowers the stress of every day life - but you'd better have mosquito repellent!

Just a dragonfly I spotted recently.

The 2018 Flood V - Rain Accumulation

The rain has continued this past week, as we watched nervously.  Water levels had been going down a bit until yesterday when we got more rain all day.  Nothing as drastic as what got us in this mess but yesterday was a very wet day, indeed, and on ground that is already water logged.  The good news is that the next several days look dry so hopefully we can get those water levels down a bit more.  I'd like to go down and get a picture of the creek right now but I just mowed the lawn so I already have enough mosquito bites to last me for a while...



Not a lot happening to speak of, otherwise.  We do plan on having people over for a fire pit on Saturday night and I have time off coming up.  Maybe I'll find something else to write about then!

The 2018 Flood IV - Political Waters

It's been two weeks since the heavy rains of August 20 washed in to flood streets, homes and businesses, and there is no end in sight.  Lake levels were already about a foot higher than their predetermined maximum, now releasing the water down through the lakes and the flooding it will cause is making this a political issue once again.  Meanwhile, we have streets that have been underwater this whole time.  Let's just hope we keep avoiding any heavy rainfalls for a while.  Oh, it also rained another inch last night.

I found a very good website for information on the lakes, dams and water levels for our Yahara chain of lakes, link here.  And I also found the short video below, posted two days ago, of the Tenney Park area.  I'm sure it looks very similar still, especially after last night.



I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend.  I've been taking it pretty easy so far, but I may get out for a bike ride today.  Last night we had a fire before the rains came and cooked pizza and fruit pudgie pies in the coals. They were good but I burnt the first one and they did make quite a mess!

The 2018 Flood III - Ducks Don't Mind

This picture from a couple hours ago is looking back upstream from the bridge in the picture from the last post.  Water levels are the same, but the ducks don't seem to mind.  Normally you would see big rocks on the sides of this part of Starkweather Creek, still very underwater.  Thankfully, recent rains have not not been enough to very much worsen the issue.



The city posted a map of properties to notify because of the danger of flooding.  On our street there's surprisingly just one, a few houses down and across the street on the end, by the creek.  For the water to make it up the hill to our house there would have to be some catastrophic happenings, thankfully for us - and not very likely.  I thought of stopping by the lake on my way home today so I could show the difference compared to earlier photos, but didn't due to traffic.  I'll see if I get a chance this upcoming holiday weekend.

The 2018 Flood II

I went down by the creek today to see how it looked, not quite as full as yesterday and there is a slight flow to it again today.  Yesterday it was fuller and stagnant, which tells me it was at lake level.  Still, it's going to take a while for the waters to go down, and we have a chance for rain and thunderstorms the next few days yet.  You can see here how the creek may be too full for canoes and kayaks to make it under the bridges very easily.

Across the city, many home and business owners are trying to dry out and assess the damage.  As far as I know there is still flooded areas and roads on the isthmus and all across western Dane County.  I have not heard anything about the Tenney Lock and Dam, so that's probably a good thing.  Reports can be found online pretty easily, starting with here and here.

We've had no water in the basement since the big rainstorm earlier in the week.  When we get water in the basement it just runs toward the drain, but there are a few areas where it pools so we squeegee it towards the drain and turn on the dehumidifier.  It is now dry again and I don't think we'll get any more unless it rains again soon.

Terry sent us some pics of the marina where she keeps her boat that I'll put after the break.  I don't think she'll mind me posting them - thanks Terry!  The water's edge is normally on the other side of the open structure you'll see, and now is right up to the buildings.

The 2018 Flood

We've had rain recently.  The other night we had 10-13 inches in the western part of Dane County.  Madison is in the middle of the county and it was literally down the center, and we are just east of that line.  We had several inches of rain here too, by the way, even had to bring up the rugs in the basement, but no major issues.  In other parts of the city that amount of water had an immediate - and in many places an ongoing - effect, and in the days after the water is running it's course, down the chain of lakes, starting with Mendota.

I don't want to write a lot, I'm tired.  But I haven't posted much and this is very significant to us.  Below you will see pictures stolen from the neighborhood farcebook group page along with pictures I took during a bike ride last year.  The Yahara/East Washington bridge below, a few of the Tenney Lock after the break, and a last tired thought at the end.

My picture, last September.

Recent farcebook picture