Well, it is actually 1:30am on Sunday, because I just got home from helping sandbag over north of Big Lake. Sad to say, a levee was breached today west of Big Lake, which will flood thousands of acres including the Village of Big Lake in the next day or two. (Refer to the blue shaded area on the map I posted yesterday...) We were sandbagging north of there on the new secondary levee in hopes of saving a different area, but the river is so high, I don't see how that levee will hold for the next 10 weeks or more. But ya gotta try.
For the last several hours, area men and women hauled sandbags by 4-wheeler, John Deere Gator, Tractor, bulldozer, and Skid Steer. The mud in some places was probably 2 feet deep. MUD. They started around 8pm in the light, and continued on in the dark. Some of them had not had supper yet. And whether or not it holds for 10 more weeks, these guys should be very proud of the effort they've put out in the last few weeks. An effort and sentiment that is sure to continue thru the duration of this disaster.
For example, when the sandbagging was over, it was announced that a neighbor was going to be moving out of his house overnight tonight. Yes, like right now. Some of these guys went over there to help. (Dustin came home and showered first, because he was COVERED in mud. But as soon as he was clean, out the door he went to help...yes, it is 1:30am)
So, what does this mean for us? Well, our house is still protected by the Little Tarkio Creek levee. But we are losing a farm with this new levee breach, or I should say losing the growing crop on that field. And the water will now be one step closer to our house and much more of our farm ground. And there aren't that many "steps" between flooding and not flooding.
So, one battle is lost, with many more battles to fight in the coming months. In fact, that Army Corps of Engineers announced two of its reservoirs are taking in more water than they are releasing, even at record high releases. So they are increasing the amount they are releasing from 150,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 160,000cfs. They claim they are not increasing the 150,000cfs they are releasing at Gavins Point (the bottom-most reservoir that effects us.) But that water has to go downstream sometime, so I imagine they will either increase the amount, or increase the amount of time. Remember, the plan is currently to release this much water (and have the river this high) until late August....
For now, I'm exhausted, physically and emotionally, so I'm going to go shower and hit the sack. I will have my response to this situation tomorrow, but I thought for now you might like at least the facts.
Oh, and the river reached 25.88 feet today before the breach, has now dropped a little at Rulo because of it. Still predicting 26.4 by Monday morning. What ever happened to the Corps' statement, "The river will crest at 25 feet." ???
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