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Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Jamisjockey on May 26, 2015, 09:28:50 AM

Title: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 26, 2015, 09:28:50 AM
http://www.khou.com/story/weather/2015/05/26/hundreds-stranded--flooding-overwhelms-houston-roadways/27946569/

5-10 inches of rain overnight in Houston.  We've gotten one of these storms weekly to bi weekly for about the last two months. All the bayous are at capacity already, ground is saturated, and the result is that there's no where for runoff to go and it overwhelms the drainage on the freeways around town especially.  Many are built a little too low, in an already low lying area.  And where they're built up, the water drains onto the frontages and causes flooding.
Don't buy a used car from houston anytime soon.

Rainfall map

http://www.harriscountyfws.org/
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Ben on May 26, 2015, 09:38:39 AM
Can you send some of it up thisaway?  =D
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 26, 2015, 09:42:52 AM
When we moved here we were in a drought.  Fire bans, some communities on conservation plans.  The roads were buckling in spots because the dry ground underneath was splitting open (clay in a lot of places).  Feast of famine I guess.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: TechMan on May 26, 2015, 09:50:11 AM
Ah sorry that would be me.  I thought it would be a fun project to do, but I guess not.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Ben on May 26, 2015, 09:56:26 AM
When we moved here we were in a drought.  Fire bans, some communities on conservation plans.  The roads were buckling in spots because the dry ground underneath was splitting open (clay in a lot of places).  Feast of famine I guess.

Yup. While CA is in its "worst drought ever", it's not all that much worse than the last really big one. First really major one I've been alive for though. Been around to witness several big flooding events, and have seen some interesting images from the turn of the century with people in the CA Central Valley getting around by boat.

Mother Nature can be a bitch, but that's Mother nature for you (versus anthropogenic global warming).
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: roo_ster on May 26, 2015, 10:32:16 AM
Similar situation in NTX.  Topography seems a bit more forgiving, though, flood-wise.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Battle Monkey of Zardoz on May 26, 2015, 10:51:23 AM
Lived down there in the mid 90s. We had flooding on a big scale then. It was not fun.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: MillCreek on May 26, 2015, 11:00:54 AM
I have often wondered if these sort of floods do much to recharge the water aquifers, for those places that rely on ground water.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Brad Johnson on May 26, 2015, 11:18:14 AM
I have often wondered if these sort of floods do much to recharge the water aquifers, for those places that rely on ground water.

The correct answer is "maybe".

If you have porous surface features, yes. In regions where the karst layer is exposed, direct rainwater recharge can be significant. Texas Hill Country is one of those area. Kentucky, Missouri, and Florida as well. In the High Plains where aquifers are under tens, sometimes hundreds, of feet of surface material, not so much. Recharge rates per unit area are glacially slow. Deep aquifers like the Ogalalla can require recharge areas many thousands of square miles in size with recharge cycles measured in decades, if not centuries.

Brad
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: vaskidmark on May 26, 2015, 11:26:50 AM
What's a cubit?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bputeFGXEjA

Apparently G*d decided that backing up the sewers was the way to go.

stay safe.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: vaskidmark on May 26, 2015, 11:32:49 AM
Can you send some of it up thisaway?  =D

How many 5-gallon pails worth are you looking for?  I'm pretty sure somebody on Craig's List is selling the stuff.  But you will have to come and pick it up.

Seriously, a guy could probably show a good profit bringing down a fleet of empty tanker trucks and heading home full.

stay safe.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Ben on May 26, 2015, 11:49:21 AM
The correct answer is "maybe".

If you have porous surface features, yes. In regions where the karst layer is exposed, direct rainwater recharge can be significant. Texas Hill Country is one of those area. Kentucky, Missouri, and Florida as well. In the High Plains where aquifers are under tens, sometimes hundreds, of feet of surface material, not so much. Recharge rates per unit area are glacially slow. Deep aquifers like the Ogalalla can require recharge areas many thousands of square miles in size with recharge cycles measured in decades, if not centuries.

Brad

Even with pretty porous soils, rain rate has a significant impact. I doubt whatever that river you guys have that rose an incredible 26 feet in less than an hour (!!!) did much in the way of soil penetration.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: SADShooter on May 26, 2015, 11:51:32 AM
I was car surfing through Waco on IH35 yesterday afternoon. Loads of fun.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: HankB on May 26, 2015, 12:45:38 PM
We got quite a bit of rain up in the Austin, TX area, too - I'm just west of the city, and my rain gauge says I got 6" over the last few days - one of the lighter amounts in a 20-30 mile radius.

The good news is a lot of this fell upstream of Lake Travis, which has come up about 22' during the last 7 days; we're still about 15' shy of what's normal for May and about 26' below full, but having been through several years of drought with low lake levels this "rain bomb" is good for the local water supply.

Downside is lots of flooding - seeing the hills and valleys around here, I figured flooding could be a problem, so I bought a home that's about 150' higher than the spillway of Mansfield Dam, which created Lake Travis. But it seems a lot of morons people have built their homes and businesses on flood plains and next to creeks and streams to be near the water . . . guess they got their wish. Sadly, down in Wimberly (south of Austin) a number of folks are missing, presumed dead when the floodwaters swept away their home with them inside. (I think some were out-of-town visitors.)
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: lee n. field on May 26, 2015, 12:56:05 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ur2I8njzI8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ur2I8njzI8)
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: KD5NRH on May 26, 2015, 01:03:12 PM
If you have porous surface features, yes. In regions where the karst layer is exposed, direct rainwater recharge can be significant. Texas Hill Country is one of those area. Kentucky, Missouri, and Florida as well. In the High Plains where aquifers are under tens, sometimes hundreds, of feet of surface material, not so much. Recharge rates per unit area are glacially slow. Deep aquifers like the Ogalalla can require recharge areas many thousands of square miles in size with recharge cycles measured in decades, if not centuries.

Also, there can be a lot of local variation, as well as shallower aquifers that pull a lot of the soak-through before it gets to the deeper (and better) ones.  Here, (Erath County TX) we have fairly poor water at around 25-35 feet, (Paluxy aquifer) and good water at around 300. (Trinity aquifer)  The soil types vary a lot, with sometimes three or four distinct types in an acre.  There are places on mom's 300 acres where it will be swampy for two weeks after a rain, and there's one odd depression that will be empty two hours after a huge rain (like the last three we've had) fills it two feet deep, and barely damp in a day or two.  Presumably, given its proximity to a 100+ year old hand dug well to Paluxy aquifer (which was probably pretty good water before the dairies and larger farms came to the area) it's over some crack in the bedrock that drains straight into that aquifer.  Thus Paluxy recharges, keeping cattle and irrigation wells going, and also providing headwater for the 200+ feet of very slow filter that leads to the Trinity.  (IIRC, about 4% of the rainwater here makes it to the Trinity aquifer eventually, though it is a fairly large source of the Edwards aquifer water, so yes, Jamis drinks my bathwater.)
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: charby on May 26, 2015, 01:12:52 PM
The correct answer is "maybe".

If you have porous surface features, yes. In regions where the karst layer is exposed, direct rainwater recharge can be significant. Texas Hill Country is one of those area. Kentucky, Missouri, and Florida as well. In the High Plains where aquifers are under tens, sometimes hundreds, of feet of surface material, not so much. Recharge rates per unit area are glacially slow. Deep aquifers like the Ogalalla can require recharge areas many thousands of square miles in size with recharge cycles measured in decades, if not centuries.

Brad

Iowa State University is doing a recharge study on the aquifers in some parts of MN, seeing if they are indeed ancient water or recharged recently.

The Atomic Bomb tests left some nice measurable remnants that can be used to date to a modern period.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Brad Johnson on May 26, 2015, 01:25:27 PM
... and there's one odd depression that will be empty two hours after a huge rain (like the last three we've had) fills it two feet deep, and barely damp in a day or two.

Erath Co is in the northwest part of the Lampasas Cut Plain karst region. It would be waaayyyyy cool to have that area geologically surveyed to see if the depression is indicative of a larger underground feature (i.e. cavern). Might give a local univeristy a call. Geologists love new field lab opportunities. Would be an easy, free way to determine if the area might be prone to a future sinkhole. Maybe even figure out a way to include a HS science class field trip. Give the kids a chance to lern em up sumpin.

Brad
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: MechAg94 on May 26, 2015, 02:34:21 PM
Erath Co is in the northwest part of the Lampasas Cut Plain karst region. It would be waaayyyyy cool to have that area geologically surveyed to see if the depression is indicative of a larger underground feature (i.e. cavern). Might give a local univeristy a call. Geologists love new field lab opportunities. Would be an easy, free way to determine if the area might be prone to a future sinkhole. Maybe even figure out a way to include a HS science class field trip. Give the kids a chance to lern em up sumpin.

Brad
Be careful they don't get lost in the sinkhole though.  Or find a closed up aquifer full of dangerous man eating beasts. 
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: KD5NRH on May 26, 2015, 02:40:19 PM
Erath Co is in the northwest part of the Lampasas Cut Plain karst region. It would be waaayyyyy cool to have that area geologically surveyed to see if the depression is indicative of a larger underground feature (i.e. cavern). Might give a local univeristy a call. Geologists love new field lab opportunities. Would be an easy, free way to determine if the area might be prone to a future sinkhole. Maybe even figure out a way to include a HS science class field trip. Give the kids a chance to lern em up sumpin.

Yup.  The well was about 50 feet from the maybe 20x10 foot oval depression on the side of a ridge maybe 20 feet below the ridgeline.  The well collapsed in the last 5-6 years about 10-12 feet down, but I remember it having water in it during some of the driest times.  Right now the depression is pretty well choked with mesquite and grapevine, so I'd imagine even once the trees are cut, those mesquite taproots will complicate any sort of digging, but I think one of the cousins may have a core sample drilling rig (picked up at auction, and used to make a few 4" irrigation wells to the Paluxy aquifer for neighbors before disappearing into the giant barn o' crap we don't need right now) that would be educational to take up there and do some samples down to 40' or so.  

Bedrock depth along that part of the ridge seems to range from exposed crumbling limestone (gravel up to maybe 2 cubic foot blocks, though it's hard to say since larger blocks would have been carried off as building material a century ago) to much larger solid slabs about 8-10' down.  Farther down the ridge it runs more to high iron sandstone and some petrified wood, still of varying depth as parts have been washed out up to 8' deep and other parts moved around making farming fields, orchards, stock tanks and irrigation ditches, so it's hard to estimate where the natural ground level would have been.  If I could figure out what the depth is right there, and it's shallower than 6', even driving a rock bar down to it in a tight grid pattern could be educational to map out any fissures big enough for the bar to run into.

As it stands, it's a good 200 feet from anywhere we've even thought about building anything since the original workers' cabins that were dismantled right after the Depression ended, and nearly a quarter mile from any current buildings except one neighbor's doublewide maybe 350 feet on the other side of the ridgeline.  Frankly, if there is a semi-dry cavern down there, I'd want to open it up if for no other reason than to have some truly tornado proof storage/shelter.

Be careful they don't get lost in the sinkhole though.  Or find a closed up aquifer full of dangerous man eating beasts.

I've always wondered what saber tooth tiger tastes like.  Bet I could charge millions for the hunt.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Brad Johnson on May 26, 2015, 03:22:40 PM
Slivered and polished petrified wood is pretty saleable. If you have a fair quantity laying about, might be worth getting a small diamond saw and some polishing media.

Brad
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: KD5NRH on May 26, 2015, 03:36:54 PM
Slivered and polished petrified wood is pretty saleable. If you have a fair quantity laying about, might be worth getting a small diamond saw and some polishing media.

What's exposed has been picked over for more than a century.  Pieces bigger than a McNugget aren't too common there, though I did recently gift a friend a piece about that size that had a couple of very sparkly veins of quartz crystals showing in the wood grain for her collection.  One of those bits that didn't look like much until I knocked the dirt off in full sunlight, then it was a definite keeper.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: RoadKingLarry on May 26, 2015, 06:00:25 PM
We hit "wetest May on record" over the weekend and we still have almost a week more of rain forecast.  I'm about to lose my garden to grass and weeds, just too wet to even walk in it.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: MechAg94 on May 26, 2015, 10:37:28 PM
My parents live West of Houston near the Colorado River.  There is a fair sized creek near them that backs up whenever the river is high.  It is backed up 10 or 15 feet or so above the banks flooding some lower level land.    The Colorado River is up pretty high compared to just a few months ago.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 27, 2015, 09:16:29 AM
And more rain today.  Moving through north of town, but the watershed all drains this way.  Houston proper has gotten a couple inches already.  Looks like the tail of the little trough that dragged on by is producing some heavy rain and that might come our way.
Several rivers down this way are expected to hit 10'+ above flood stage this weekend.
http://www.khou.com/story/news/local/2015/05/27/search-for-missing-couple-to-resume-along-brays-bayou/28001249/
http://www.khou.com/story/news/local/texas/2015/05/27/midlothian-dam-near-fort-worth-expected-to-break-at-any-moment/28001639/
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 27, 2015, 09:23:28 AM
http://kxan.com/2015/05/25/bastrop-state-park-lake-dam-fails/
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: MechAg94 on May 27, 2015, 09:30:23 AM
The news was talking of another dam near Midlothian that was in danger of failing. 

(I had to look it up.  It is South of Dallas and Fort Worth.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: KD5NRH on May 27, 2015, 09:47:15 AM
http://www.khou.com/story/news/local/texas/2015/05/27/midlothian-dam-near-fort-worth-expected-to-break-at-any-moment/28001639/

That could be interesting given that there are also a couple of major HV lines running between the dam and the highway.  

Update this morning:
Quote
City engineers re-evaluated the dam in the daylight and determined it was more stable that it had been. The volume of water in the lake has decreased.

Decreased while it was pouring rain last night?  Might want to look into that a bit closer.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: cordex on May 27, 2015, 09:58:05 AM
Just flew into DFW and am heading to Austin now. Pretty soggy down there.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 27, 2015, 10:21:39 AM
Wimberly flooding pics

(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsmmercury.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F05%2Fblanco-river-flooding-wimberley-p1B-659x352.jpg&hash=1d4141e88d282a77a8511f27f7349b99273e730d)


(https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7689/18056011771_0646fe5733_b.jpg)


This has become kind of the iconic pic of flooding here in Houston.  Alot of these areas the water rises really quick.  One car stalls and everyone else gets stuck behind them

(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gannett-cdn.com%2F-mm-%2Fecb8255465f61296665607766c2a219d346c9b28%2Fc%3D0-2-428-324%26amp%3Br%3Dx404%26amp%3Bc%3D534x401%2Flocal%2F-%2Fmedia%2F2015%2F05%2F26%2FUSATODAY%2FUSATODAY%2F635682231892276666-Houston-flooding-052615.jpg&hash=90b5607ec017793a94e3be04fd2b84c2f6d7526c)

Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 27, 2015, 10:56:31 AM
Lake Travis near Austin is up almost 24'.

Check this out

http://gfycat.com/MeatySkeletalGelada
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 27, 2015, 11:17:51 AM
https://sg.screen.yahoo.com/storyful-trending-videos/woman-dog-rescued-houston-flood-001620715.html

I just don't *expletive deleted*ing get people.  You can clearly see that it's deep water, look at the center divider.  Stupid bitch just drove right into it.
How do these people remember to breathe?
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: makattak on May 27, 2015, 11:23:03 AM
https://sg.screen.yahoo.com/storyful-trending-videos/woman-dog-rescued-houston-flood-001620715.html

I just don't *expletive deleted*ing get people.  You can clearly see that it's deep water, look at the center divider.  Stupid bitch just drove right into it.
How do these people remember to breathe?

Attributed to Einstein: “Two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I am not yet completely sure about the universe.”
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: roo_ster on May 27, 2015, 11:41:50 AM
1. As we drive around with the kids we have impressed upon them that water on the road is no joke.  And running water on the road is "Maybe I don't need to travel that bad today" no-shinola serious.  I think me pushing my pickup truck sideways with only my own strength across an icy parking lot this winter helped to impress upon them that if the tires break loose from the pavement, it doesn't take much to drag an auto downstream.

2. My mother who lives out of state and does not get touched in any way by this rain has called numerous times due to the lurid coverage on the cable teevee news coverage.  Not having teevee coming into the house, I miss a bunch of the whipped-up hysteria of all sorts.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: KD5NRH on May 27, 2015, 11:44:55 AM
I just don't *expletive deleted*ing get people.  You can clearly see that it's deep water, look at the center divider.  Stupid bitch just drove right into it.

We get the opposite here; when you can see by the curb that the (standing, not flowing) water isn't more than a few inches deep, they panic, stop at the edge, don't have room to turn around, then expect the 4-5 cars that just managed to not rear end them to all back up so they can have room for a 27 point turnaround.

Often they're driving jacked up 4WD pickups, too.  Apparently worried about sloshing their latte onto their skinny jeans and ruining their silk panties.  The women are even worse.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: MechAg94 on May 27, 2015, 12:06:36 PM
If it is obviously just shallow water I can drive through, I will take my truck through it.  As long as it isn't up to the frame, trucks are generally heavy enough to wade through without a strong current.  If I was in a car, I would be very cautious myself.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: RoadKingLarry on May 27, 2015, 08:55:16 PM
(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi23.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb398%2FFLHRI-OK%2Fchecked%2520tomatoes.jpg&hash=df277c80d1d54fcb527a0b0aef735b26d144a4ab) (http://s23.photobucket.com/user/FLHRI-OK/media/checked%20tomatoes.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Cliffh on May 28, 2015, 12:11:30 AM
We hit "wetest May on record" over the weekend and we still have almost a week more of rain forecast.  I'm about to lose my garden to grass and weeds, just too wet to even walk in it.


I was planning to cut down the winter weeds and prep the garden for planting the weekend after all the rain started.  Still haven't done it, my boots stop just below the knees & I hate walking with water in my boots.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Regolith on May 28, 2015, 01:22:48 AM
https://sg.screen.yahoo.com/storyful-trending-videos/woman-dog-rescued-houston-flood-001620715.html

I just don't *expletive deleted*ing get people.  You can clearly see that it's deep water, look at the center divider.  Stupid bitch just drove right into it.
How do these people remember to breathe?

I'm not sure who's worse: the lady or the camera guy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt9zSfinwFA)...
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: LadySmith on May 28, 2015, 04:06:20 AM
https://sg.screen.yahoo.com/storyful-trending-videos/woman-dog-rescued-houston-flood-001620715.html

I just don't *expletive deleted*ing get people.  You can clearly see that it's deep water, look at the center divider.  Stupid bitch just drove right into it.
How do these people remember to breathe?

I'm just glad the dog's OK.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 28, 2015, 09:17:04 PM
http://www.weather.com/weather/map/interactive/l/USTX0617:1:US?animation=true&interactiveMapLayer=radar

More on it's way tonight/tomorrow.  And this weekend.  UNCLE. 

May....wettest month on record for Texas. Ever.  We got 20 inches in Houston over the month.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Balog on May 28, 2015, 09:24:13 PM
We got 20 inches in Houston over the month.

Yeah you did. (https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fr27.imgfast.net%2Fusers%2F2714%2F11%2F50%2F58%2Fsmiles%2F3606388844.gif&hash=166019234068153d6c34de21eeffe369a9859234)
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: roo_ster on May 29, 2015, 08:04:44 AM
Between the thunder and torrential rains and the severe weather alert on our ohones i doubt we strung 30min of sleep together.

Luckily we are near the high spot between two creeks.  If we flood you will see downtown under water.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: MechAg94 on May 29, 2015, 12:26:54 PM
I heard the city of Wharton has issued an evacutation order as part of downtown will soon be part of the Colorado River.

http://abc13.com/news/wharton-residents-evacuate-as-colorado-river-flooding-looms/746525/
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: RoadKingLarry on May 29, 2015, 02:16:56 PM
The lake where my boat lives is now 17.5' above normal and rising. the local talking heads on the news are now to the point of talking about "what if such and such dam fails?".
Oh, and it's currently raining here.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: makattak on May 29, 2015, 03:23:53 PM
Meanwhile, here on the east coast (or at least the mountains of Virginia), we've had a ~50% chance of rain forecast all week.

Outcome? Well, for the first time this spring, I won't have to mow my lawn this week since it's been completely dry. Looks like I got that solution to watering my fruit trees right in time.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: KD5NRH on May 29, 2015, 03:27:00 PM
Sun's out.  Weather site says 59% humidity, but it feels like a frickin' jungle out there.

Maybe it'll firm up the front yard to where I can mow tomorrow.  Still standing water in the back yard this morning.

Or maybe not.  75% chance of storms before sunrise, dropping to 30% for part of the afternoon, then back to 75% in the evening.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: vaskidmark on May 29, 2015, 06:40:04 PM
Dallas rush hour brought to a standstill by water.

Everybody and his brother repeating that the rain, if evenly spread over Texas, would be eight inches deep.  35+ trillion gallons.

Somebody needs to rent a few tanker ships, suck up all that water, and ship it to California.  You could probably get paid on both ends.

stay safe.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 29, 2015, 06:42:56 PM
Dallas rush hour brought to a standstill by water.

Everybody and his brother repeating that the rain, if evenly spread over Texas, would be eight inches deep.  35+ trillion gallons.

Somebody needs to rent a few tanker ships, suck up all that water, and ship it to California.  You could probably get paid on both ends.

stay safe.

The problem is California would word the contract so that we must ship them that amount of water in perpetuity, regardless of rainfall.  Next drought, they still get it.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 31, 2015, 08:33:49 AM
Okay last night brought a few inches (that's what she said).
1-4 inches depending with some localized flooding but nothing like what we got earlier in the week.

http://www.khou.com/videos/news/local/2015/05/30/cars-under-water-near-uh-downtown/28241741/

(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi3.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy88%2FAtc1man%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2Fth_IMG_4298_zps303c927e.mp4&hash=1c12f6a92fe9c8d287d08702c73ea93810f92858) (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y88/Atc1man/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_4298_zps303c927e.mp4)

Looks like we get to dry out this week.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Cliffh on May 31, 2015, 05:25:35 PM
Okay last night brought a few inches (that's what she said).
1-4 inches depending with some localized flooding but nothing like what we got earlier in the week.

Looks like we get to dry out this week.

Good.  I'm getting tired of trying to keep the weeds under control with just the string trimmer and string mower. 

Besides, SWMBO just got her new riding mower and is anxious to use it.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: KD5NRH on May 31, 2015, 09:00:29 PM
Good.  I'm getting tired of trying to keep the weeds under control with just the string trimmer and string mower. 

Wish I had that option.  Looks like I'll be wearing myself out restarting the old Murray as much as it's going to be bogging down with all this growth plus another week.  Might have to go dig the scythe out of mom's storage and touch up the edge.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: roo_ster on May 31, 2015, 09:10:45 PM
Y'all need to get yourselves a 10YO son and a Fiskars push mower. Wait for the rain to let up for a couple hours and send hm out to do some damage.

Works for me.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Cliffh on May 31, 2015, 09:26:15 PM
Y'all need to get yourselves a 10YO son and a Fiskars push mower. Wait for the rain to let up for a couple hours and send hm out to do some damage.

Works for me.

One of the "10yr old sons" has a 16 yr old son, the others oldest is pushing 7 - they said I'm on my own for lawn care.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: MechAg94 on May 31, 2015, 10:56:17 PM
I don't weed eat much.  Just spray grass kill along the edge of the house and fence where I don't edge.  Works well. 

I don't have a big yard and my front yard drains well.  It is usually good to go after a good dry day or two.  My back yard is something else.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Cliffh on May 31, 2015, 11:11:49 PM
My front yard's about 2 acres, the back yard's about 3 acres; varies from a creek with wooded and marsh areas on the south side to dry as a desert on the north side, with a 1/4 acre pond just north of the driveway.

Lots of places to use string trimmers/mowers.

I buy concentrated glyphosate in 2.5 gallon jugs, usually one a year.  Since I recently found out about a safe-to-use-near-water glyphosate I'll be buying it in 2.5 gallons jugs too.  With all the rain there hasn't been enough time to spray anything so far this year.  Hopefully gonna make up for that this weekend.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: KD5NRH on June 01, 2015, 09:39:42 AM
Y'all need to get yourselves a 10YO son and a Fiskars push mower. Wait for the rain to let up for a couple hours and send hm out to do some damage.

Lost a good push mower in the divorce.  No way it would work on this, though.  If it was much taller I'd borrow the tractor and bale it.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Jamisjockey on June 01, 2015, 09:43:47 AM
My neighbors might think I'm crazy....sprinkler is in the front yard.
(kids were playing in it yesterday)
It's amazing how fast that water runs off with the ground so saturated.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: vaskidmark on June 01, 2015, 06:17:33 PM
Lost a good push mower in the divorce.  No way it would work on this, though.  If it was much taller I'd borrow the tractor and bale it.

Goats.

Woodrow Wilson got it wrong by putting sheep on the White House lawn.

Besides, goats will keep the hedges trimmed (if you watch them and keep them moving along).  Great job for a boy and his dog.

stay safe.
Title: Re:
Post by: lupinus on June 01, 2015, 09:08:38 PM
Plus goats don't come with as many built in jokes.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: jim in anchorage on June 02, 2015, 05:02:32 PM
Lost a good push mower in the divorce.  No way it would work on this, though.  If it was much taller I'd borrow the tractor and bale it.

Your ex took the lawn mower? Did you get to keep the hedge trimmer?
Title: Re:
Post by: RoadKingLarry on June 02, 2015, 08:43:12 PM
Plus goats don't come with as many built in jokes.

You've led a sheltered life.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: lupinus on June 03, 2015, 01:22:58 PM
You've led a sheltered life.

Compared to sheep it's not so baaad.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: makattak on June 03, 2015, 01:28:36 PM
Meanwhile, here on the east coast (or at least the mountains of Virginia), we've had a ~50% chance of rain forecast all week.

Outcome? Well, for the first time this spring, I won't have to mow my lawn this week since it's been completely dry. Looks like I got that solution to watering my fruit trees right in time.

Well, all I had to do was complain.

Now, it's been raining off and on since Saturday and forecasted to do the same for the next 7 days.

Our sump pump has been working dutifully and last night, the pond in our backyard was reflecting in the street lights.

Which would be pretty, except I haven't yet installed our planned pond. And I don't plan on it being 5000 square feet.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: KD5NRH on June 03, 2015, 01:31:14 PM
Which would be pretty, except I haven't yet installed our planned pond. And I don't plan on it being 5000 square feet.

The level will go down once you dredge it, and you can use the material you get from that to build levees.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: RocketMan on June 04, 2015, 12:26:41 AM
The level will go down once you dredge it, and you can use the material you get from that to build levees.

The EPA says no to that.  Can't mess with the navigable puddles in your back yard.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: makattak on June 04, 2015, 08:17:34 AM
The EPA says no to that.  Can't mess with the navigable puddles in your back yard.

Sadly, I was debating whether or not to even post that, as it would become evidence of a "wetland" in my backyard. (Clearly my paranoia didn't overwhelm me, but the concern was still there.)
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Jamisjockey on June 04, 2015, 11:03:01 AM
Went fishing yesterday.  SW out of my port of call takes me past the mouth of the Brazos river.  Water was chocolate colored for 20 miles and we saw half a dozen logs floating, all nice big ones in the 10'-20' size range.  Hitting one of those would be a bad day.
SE out of port tuesday and the water cleared up quickly with no debris.
We went E and came back in from the SE yesterday to avoid those logs....$50 in gas sure beats $1,000's in repairs.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Jamisjockey on June 15, 2015, 08:30:06 AM
Tropical disturbance in the gulf.....
Not expected to get above a weak TS, but it's going to drench an already soaked river system.
Expecting more flooding this week.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: vaskidmark on June 15, 2015, 09:19:27 AM
Tropical disturbance in the gulf.....
Not expected to get above a weak TS, but it's going to drench an already soaked river system.
Expecting more flooding this week.

It appears you have water rights granted earlier than 1913 (or is it 1911 or 1901??).

Enjoy it while you can.

stay safe.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: MechAg94 on June 15, 2015, 09:34:13 AM
I think the TV weatherpeople are giddy with excitement.  They have already identified ditches to stand in to illustrate the flooding.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Cliffh on June 15, 2015, 10:01:10 AM
Yep, gonna rain, again :(

We've almost got the front yard under control - it's time to mow again but it's only ~6" tall instead of 36".  Still have ~3 acres left that is ~36" tall.

DW & I were outside raking up 4 garden trailers worth of cut grass yesterday when the skies opened up.  We were soaked to the skin before we could dump the last load and get inside.

Ain't gonna do any mowing/cutting today....
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: KD5NRH on June 15, 2015, 10:10:24 AM
We've almost got the front yard under control - it's time to mow again but it's only ~6" tall instead of 36".  Still have ~3 acres left that is ~36" tall.

Yeah, hacked mine down Tuesday, and it's already got a thin-but-obvious gathering of 6+" tall stuff coming through the piles of clippings.

At least this time I shouldn't have to wear myself out restarting the mower 1-2 times per pass.  I was seriously trying to figure out what sort of "accident" I could get away with to burn it off before.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: RoadKingLarry on June 15, 2015, 10:40:47 AM
I've been able to keep my yard under control and made serious progress on getting the garden in hand. Lost a good bit of garden to being too wet too long.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: KD5NRH on June 15, 2015, 11:05:18 AM
Lost a good bit of garden to being too wet too long.

Everything except for the lettuce and one something else drowned, and now the lettuce isn't doing so well.  The something else could be zucchini, but all the markers washed away, and I don't remember what was where in that area.

I guess if I'm still in this place next spring, I'm going to kill off, border and dig up one of the better drained spots, and try for a more durable garden.  I have a 60x100 vacant lot to work with, but turning the whole thing by hand is more than I care to deal with, and finding a decent tiller at a yard sale is unlikely.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: Cliffh on June 15, 2015, 10:25:00 PM
I had a two year old, ~24" tall tree that had started leafing out earlier this year. It's now dead, poor thing drowned.
Title: Re: Which one of you jerks is building an ark?
Post by: MechAg94 on June 15, 2015, 11:10:24 PM
Tropical Storm Bill
http://youtu.be/0rUxiqQHKs0