June 22, 2013

2013 Longest Day Flood

Welcome Back!
What a difference a day makes! Today it is sunny and blue sky and life carries on. The water in the lake is 8", 20 cm, higher. The ducks are out and a stampede pancake breakfast is happening at the community center this morning.


Yesterday was the longest day for many Calgarians. 2 1/2 days of rain, rain and more rain add the rain melting the snow in the mountains upstream equals a major flood like never been seen before in Calgary ever.

Everyone was told to stay home yesterday in order to keep the roads open for all emergency personnel. Downtown Calgary is closed, electricity is shut off because transformers are under water. It's very eery.

I'm fortunate to live up high, but those in the river valley upstream are not. The homes down stream in the river valley were very fortunate. The river came very close. Some were across the street; some were 3 feet higher. The following pics are the Bow River valley down stream. I live on the ridge overlooking this valley.
 


The river flows left to right. On a much better day you would barely see the river. On the flat, the valley is 1+ miles, 1.6 km, across.
 
 

In retrospect, Calgary always does things in gigantic ways. This flood was not any different.

We are still going ahead with the 101st Calgary Stampede, There are only 2 weeks to get everything in order. It will be a phenomenal job! With Calgarians being the most generous and most helping people that any city in the world has every seen, I am certain that this will be accomplished.

For more pictures check out anything that says Calgary Alberta Flood 2013. Here is one link http://www.660news.com/topic/flood-2013/

On another river 30 minutes south of Calgary is High River. Yes, the name of the small city is appropriately named after what the Highwood River is, High. When I was a kid in High River, 1960's, the river over flowed it's banks every year. In the last 2 days, not only did the river flood the flood plain but it flooded downtown and areas that have never been flooded. Today High River is closed, ie barricaded, a ghost town, being guarded by the military and police. Everyone had to evacuate whether they were flooded or not. There is no electricity; therefore, no water, no sewer.

For more pictures check out anything that says High River Alberta Flood 2013. Here is one link
http://blogs.calgaryherald.com/2013/06/21/stranded-at-the-co-op-high-river-flood-photos/


1 comment:

  1. I kept meaning to email and ask you... great pics.. glad your fabric, i mean you are ok=)

    ReplyDelete