Flood Tide 2007

So, everybody got their ark in order? Two straight weeks of rain and no end in sight. Yesterday's news items about the flooding along the San Gabriel River reminded me of the first time I saw that particular river out of its banks. The news reports were out of Williamson County and they haven't said much about what is going on in Milam County, which is where we were living at the time. Perhaps my quasi-phobia about water stems from that point in my life.

I was about 4 or 5 years old and we were living in San Gabriel. The river crossing was a few miles down the road and I can remember us driving down to take a look at it. Daddy drove right down to the water's edge and I can remember being terrified that the water would somehow reach out and grab us. I'm sure at that point the river had crested and was on its way down, but I was too young to understand that. All I wanted was to get back in my home where it was dry and I couldn't see that angry water.

Marble Falls had almost 20 inches of rain in an 8 hour period yesterday. That reminded me of the year that Hurricane Beulah came through south Texas and dumped 22 inches of rain in the Smiley area over a period of 2 days. Smiley sat somewhat on a hill and safe from immediate flooding, but we were cut off on 3 sides by rivers out of their banks. Again, Daddy had to drive us right down to the rivers to take a look. At least I knew at this point that he was staying out of danger's reach, but I still didn't like to see that roiling, out of control water taking over the ranch land.

I live within 2 miles of the Colorado River now and when there is flooding upstream, it gets out of its banks here in Bastrop and especially in my subdivision at the point where it curls around and heads toward Smithville. Fortunately most of Bastrop and Tahitian Village sits enough higher that few homes are in danger, but from the vantage point of the east bank it's a really impressive sight. And during flood times most of Bastrop, at some point, shows up behind the Wells Fargo Bank to take a look. Even I'm not immune.

(This is not the current flooding, but from a year or so back. Taken from a vantage point behind the bank.)

I'm grateful I don't live in an area prone to flooding. The only bright spot in this wet season is knowing that the fire danger will be low next week when the fireworks nuts are at work. The sad part is that there won't be much to celebrate in Marble Falls and Granbury.

LSW