Newly acquired lakeside property
We are now in the denouement of the flood. Waters are receding, the adrenaline has worn off, and those affected are beginning the nasty job of cleaning up. The next good rain will take care of most of the clean up here.
My main task will be moving detritus from the pastures and fences. I've already removed a fence-snagged log with my hastily assembled grappling hook, pictured below. A few more hours of drainage and the log’s full weight would have come down on the wire of the fence. As it was, I could easily maneuver the sodden trunk with gentle pressure. Disaster averted.
Never get rid of anything is my motto
Unlike other weather events like heavy snows or heat waves which affect everyone in the area, major floods divide the population into two distinct groups: those in the way of the flood and those not. We're on the borderline with about 2/3rds of the property underwater including pastures. With all structures unaffected however, this time we're in the category of those who merely experience inconveniences like increased traffic, longer drive times, and favorite stores and restaurants being closed. As soon as the water drains from the roads, our lives will return to normal.
Asian pear blooms above floodwaters
Twenty years ago the area experienced the worst flood of many residents’ memories, unsurprisingly now referred to as The Big One. During a remarkably wet early fall in which the ground was saturated and streams were flowing at capacity, Hurricane Ivan struck the gulf coast and preceded northwards dumping massive amounts of rain as it went. The river reached nearly 45 feet, a level not seen since 1964. Few downtown businesses had been around that long. Most owners had never seen water in the streets, much less halfway up the ground floor walls.
Exacerbating the devastation was the fact that the National Weather Service predicted a moderate crest of only 38 feet, then erroneously cancelled the flood warning entirely. Believing there was a low threat level, downtown bakeries, coffee shops, restaurants, and antique stores made few preparations. In the months that followed not only were there bitter recriminations and bankruptcies, but also thorough renovations as carpet was swapped for tile, and upper level storage space was expanded or created.
Peach blossoms are winding down
To me, the most interesting part of the story is what happened less than four months later. In January 2005, another major flood occurred, cresting at a mere foot and a half lower than the Ivan-induced disaster. These back-to-back events were the only majors floods that hit between 1964 and 2024, yet if you ask area residents about floods it is usually only The Big One they mention. Though nearly as bad as the 2004 flood, and a full 3.5 feet higher than the current one, this major event is mainly mentioned as a side note to The Big One.
This is natural disaster psychology in action. Four months after the 2004 flood, residents were still in a state of hypervigilance. They reacted quickly to and efficiently to warnings, expecting the worst. When the waters receded before reaching the level of the previous flood, it seemed like a non-event. I barely have any memories of it, or perhaps what memories I retain are melded with that of The Big One.
More crabapple blossoms
I will no doubt retain memories of this flood because it's the first catastrophic one since I adopted the horses. In 2004/5 the bottomland was open and unfenced and still being planted in corn. Floods were easy to get through, even when water entered the barn cellar.
Now with the thousand pound toddlers locked in their stalls like convicts with their few hours per day outside spent tethered to trees, a big flood is more serious. It makes me think hard about the need to fence in some higher land. Expanding fenced areas would probably be a good idea, but once the pastures are dry and accessible they will at least temporarily seem huge and luxurious. I think we're getting close to that point because I can hear the rednecks testing the waters on the county road — a sure sign the flood of ‘24 is almost history.