January 19, 2010

Flood

We live on an island in Colorado. It was created by the Gunnison River and by old ranchers digging irrigation ditches to irrigate the fields. We have high water in the spring but never in January. Well, our property is slowing flooding with water and ice because a little bit further down the river there is an ice dam. Since we have owned this property the water has never flowed this much in January. It might flow a day once in awhile but never for over a week.

Right now the creeks on both sides of the house are flowing and both are above their normal banks. The smaller one and the one closest to our house is about five feet out of its normal banks, more in other places.

In this picture where Mikayla is now is completely under water. Actually of the grass you see is underwater.


Our biggest concern is the bridge. Yesterday the water and ice were touching the bridge and our neighboors put a piece of plywood over the diversion so stop the water which helped for a day. Now everything in front of the tree is underwater. The water has not reached the tree yet but it is only a foot or so away.

This was taken on Friday, the day before the water hit the bridge.


With the plywood over the diversion it has slowed down the small stream but it has also make the bigger steam on the other side of the house rise higher. The only issue with the water on the other side of the house is the garage flooding, which in the history of this house has happened before. Our neighbors also told us that one time in the past 40 or so years the smaller steam shown above jumped its banks, flowed across the yard and went back into the larger stream. I will keep you posted as to what happens. We either need it to get super, super cold and stay cold or we need it to warm up and break up the ice dam on the river.

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