Holding Steady

“There’s floodin’ down in Texas, all of the telephone lines are down.” ~ Stevie Ray Vaughan

The worst of area flooding appears to be behind us now, at least as it pertains to the development where we live. A well-planned water retention and detention has helped keep the Brazos River out of most of the homes near us. Some roads closed, but provided there are no unplanned drenchers they should open up as soon as the river’s levels drop. According to the National Weather Service, it will hold at this level for a few more days at least.

Flooded Street

From the safety of our bikes, we watched as several people drove right through that 1 ft depth of water, mostly trucks but a few smaller cars too. Any lives lost — and there have been some — were made when the conscious decision to drive through water of an unknown depth ended in disaster. Like racing a moving train to cross the tracks in front of it, this is never a good idea — people still do it at their peril. ‘Don’t drown, turn around’ are signs everywhere it seems (to be ignored, of course).

We continue to be high and dry, but so many others in flood plains along creeks and rivers have not been so lucky. I feel for those who were hardest hit Memorial Day last year only, recovered and rebuilt only to have the exact repeat of it again this year. Pundits are blaming El Niño for the inordinate amount of rain that is falling to the north of us, the real cause of our swollen river.

Two Feet From ZOIKS!

Yeah, yeah. Global warming trends. I get it already. But no one is speaking of un-building roads or tearing down existing buildings and houses, and development just keeps on truckin’ like nothing’s happened, like it has no effect on the environment. We Texans are very slow learners, it seems.

Related posts:

• Here We Go Again, 5/28/16
• Road-Swallowing River, 5/31/16