Mother Nature--What are you thinking?
Sandbagging in Advance
Last week, I could hardly believe my eyes, as I toured this city where I have lived for 35 years. Driving over to the city park to see what was going on, I discovered volunteers gathered on Tropf Street, sandbagging the first house in that block.
Unbelievable!
Just down the highway, the city boys and a host of volunteers were madly pumping water across Vine Street to alleviate the flooding caused by the excess water in Ditch #14, which goes through the middle of the city. This pumping has continued--night and day--for almost a week. The city boys stopped the pumps for a short time yesterday, but they started them up again with the resurgence of the rain.
Residents across the South are worn out from combating water. Though measurements vary from city to city, it looks as if April has seen at least 20 inches of rainfall, with another 6 inches falling in Advance since Saturday. (I have this on good authority from Royal Lee Bohnsack, who has carefully measured his rain gauge!)
I just stopped down at the Vine & Highway C bottleneck and talked to Brock Cato, the city maintenance supervisor. He and another member of the Advance VFD were sitting in their truck out of the icy rain, keeping watch over the three tractors pumping water for the 7th day since the flood started. They look worn out.
Since Tuesday, April 26, the city has pumped 1.800 million gallons of water per hour each day. Amazing!
Foolish advice becomes rampant in times such as this. On my last blog, a post was made, suggesting that the city should have "cut" the road to let the flood water through. Others have suggested the same irresponsible "solution" to the problem.
Thank God that Advance city leaders did not listen to this hasty, ill-thought-out advice. The results would have been catastrophic for everything on the south side of Highway C. We're talking about MFA, Town & Country, and several other businesses and homes. Modot has confirmed the disastrous effects that would have resulted.
Thomas Paine said, "These are the times that try men's souls!"-- Timeless words which speak out to these hard times across the South, as we cope with Mother Nature's fury.
Pray for sunny skies, patience, and generous neighbors in surviving the Flood of 2011.
Comments
- -- Posted by goat lady on Thu, May 5, 2011, at 6:11 AM
- -- Posted by wartz on Thu, May 5, 2011, at 3:45 PM
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