I am in my upstairs studio watching my property flood.
From this vantage point I can see three separate " waterfalls"
making a path through the retaining wall on the far side of the tennis court.
"pond" is transforming to "lake" rapidly.
Our property is a much higher elevation in the back, than at the front. There is a road up there, some swales at the low side of the street and, some pipes under the driveways for flow. There is no "flow" but the run off from properties on the high side of the street behind, plus the run off from 2 "T" streets is flowing all over us.
We have a new river along the left side of the house and, a new half acre pond where part of the front yard was. This new "pond" is about to encircle the giant Magnolia in the front yard. It is reportedly the largest Magnolia in the county and I am fearful it could fall. It is big enough it could fall and cleave our house something serious. Blowfish and I have been out thinking about using our unspread bags of mulch as sand bags to divert the flow away from our foundations. Blowfish has vetoed this option because he thinks the flow is so rapid it will move the mulch bags.
Blowfish got a big golf size umbrella and some boots and went out front to investigate things. He came back reporting a neighbors entire front yard is now a lake.
I am trying not to be too negative. This seems to be the year we are emerging from a 4 year drought. Every soul in this region who believes in prayer has been entreating for rain for years. We cannot now complain if the prayers are being so generously answered.
We live in the land of red clay, not anything you would rightly call "soil". It has been baked into a
ginormous brick these past drought years so not much absorption is happening.
Lots and lots of running water is happening. Lots of it. Rapidly.
What I have a grievance with is the county. Back a few years before the drought we had a run off issue so we went down to the county offices to put in a request for the relevant staff and equipment to come clean out the swales and the pipes to prevent any more property damage at the Pond. They couldn't come when it was raining they said. During the drought years we couldn't provide any photographs to prove our needs. So we were not successful in getting this issue addressed. Can't come when it's wet, won't come when it is dry. Frustrating. Very, very frustrating.
I guess it will be interesting to get up tomorrow and see if the retaining wall is still there.
It's looking doubtful at the moment.
Any of you bloggers have any advice for us on how to get the attention of the county?
Anybody know the legal particulars?
One of our neighbors has said the county will not fix the problem up here on our hill until they put in new sewers at the bottom of the hill to prevent flooding on a main road down there. Our neighbors say the county told them when the swales and pipes are cleared out up here, it causes a problem at the bottom of the hill and washes over the four lane down there. It is one of the main roads to the hospital so they "decided" to let our area do the suffering for the good of the
many.
I am not so fond of this idea.
Maybe I should write the Obamanation and mention I have a shovel ready project .
Might be the only benefit I will receive from the massively foolish debt rammed down my gullet.
8 comments:
oh-oh.
Sorry fer yore swampin' woes.
Does ya know anyone who is a County string? As in "pull some strings"?
Could ya send photos to local paper/ TV news?
What about creatin' a lily pond wif' all that water? Somewhar' close to the first level ya come to area after yore retainin' wall?
Uncle say, can Blowfish hook up a thingy to a tractor ( ya got one to mow such a spread, ain't ya?) an' drag a ditch aqlong one side of yore property runnin' from back to front (front is low, right?) so that water goes like a controlled river to the front street gutter?
Band wif' other neighbors who is also siufferin' to press gubmint to tend to thangs?
Jes' so sorry, Fishy.
Contact your county commissioner and also your state senator. It might be that it is a state road and not a county road ... ask for constituent services regarding road maintenance or rainwater runoff.
If we get an inquiry like this, we kick it back to a local group that coordinates with all the various agencies -- state/city/county/etc and usually knows where to start. See if there is a "council of governments" organization of some type. I'd know exactly where to send you if you lived in my state.
Here's hoping you aren't having to be swimming to the mailbox.
Morning has broken!
Blackbird has spoken!
The Fishy's are fine :-)
The retaining wall is damaged but still here, the magnolia tree did not fall on my sleeping head and the monsoon has stopped!.
Think I'll go make a cup of tea and celebrate all those answered prayers !
Sweet the rains new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation,
praise every morning
Gods recreation of the new day
Glad you got a reprieve even if temporary. What your neighbor and Pamokc both said made sense to me.
Good Morning Aunty Belle,
Don't you just love that prayer/song?
It is one of my favorites, both for the lyrics and the music. Sweet indeed!
Hey Troll,
My first priority Monday morning is to go down to the county offices and plead my case. I will be armed with photographs.
I might have one of those "strings" Belle mentioned. My neighbor, with the new front lake in place of his front yard, has a son who works for our senator.
It might be helpful to our cause he is also the CEO of the largest employer in our county.
He certainly has all the necessary contacts. I expect Blowfish or I will have a chat with him later this morning.
I did wander out a bit this morning and can tell you all that rushing water has really annoyed the ant population. They were acting mean and cranky all over my feet!
"Can't come when it's wet, won't come when it is dry. Frustrating. Very, very frustrating." I feel for ya, Fishy.
Keep a photographic record and pester them continuously during the dry season.
It's the only way you can deal with city agencies or landlords
look at the brightside fishy! your new economy job can be growing rice! but, so sorry. hope the county does the right thing.
Post a Comment