Rain, rain, rain. Over the last week the snow level has jumped into the atmosphere and every bit of snow that we had hoped would signal an early start to winter melted. We saw the river in the back yard rise and rise and rise. Early this morning I saw the river was at 5,000 cfs. (Measured at the gage a couple of miles upstream.) Throughout the day Amy updated me and we got more and more worried.
6,000 cfs.
Amy drove out to check conditions. The water was just over our road.
7,000 cfs.
Amy gets a call from the sheriff saying it's time to go.
8,000 cfs.
Amy starts packing up and collecting the neighbors' dogs. I leave work early to head home.
9,000 cfs.
I get home to find the main road is flooded and closed by the cops. Logs and water are pushing out from under the bridge and making it hazardous. Amy was able to drive out, but felt the water pushing the truck to the side.
To actually get to the house I had to cut through two neighborhoods, pass through two normally closed gates (opened by the cops, I think), and in the end of our dirt road. The dirt road is usually blocked by a couple of big boulders (also moved the local sheriff deputy) and had been churned to mud by the few vehicles escaping the rising waters.
The water was higher than I'd ever seen it. It was about a foot below our fence. The entire island was under water. Huge logs were floating by. Boulders clunked down the streambed, but hidden by the churning muddy water.
Our road was flooded for most of its length with water moving rapidly across. It had flooded through several of our lower neighbors' properties and knocked down a fence and was threatening a deck.
Since the river isn't supposed to crest until some time tomorrow morning we have set up our refugee camp at Amy's parents' place in Kirkland. No rivers in sight so I think we're safe... for now.
(Want more? Check out this video of the raging river.
