Author Topic: Looking like flooding  (Read 331 times)

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Offline Sourdough

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Looking like flooding
« on: May 08, 2013, 06:57:01 AM »
We had the coldest April on record, and May started out that way.  Last week it snowed everyday, with temps never getting above freezing.  The ice at Nenana is 45" on the Tanana River.  It's never been that thick before.  All the rivers, streams, creeks, and ponds are frozen solid.  I still have snow up to my hips in my yard. 

Suddenly Monday the temp jumped up into the mid 30s, Yesterday, it got up into the mid to high 40s.  Depending on how close you were to the two rivers, The Tanana, or the Chena.  They meet just south of Fairbanks.  Today they are saying it will be in the mid 50s, up to possiably 60.  Tomorrow Low to Mid 60s.

My driveway for the first time, (I've lived here since 1985) has water standing in it.  The drive stands two feet above the yard on either side, but with the snow piled so high the ice along the edges is melting and has no where to go.  Got a feeling there is a lot of water standing out in the yard under the snow.  I'm not going to wade out there to find out.  Now for the real problem.  With all the rivers plugged with ice, there is no where for the water to go as it melts.  Then as the small feeder streams break up and send hords of ice down onto the larger streams.  The ice will slide along till it hits something that causes a backup.  Then an Ice dam is created, and the water pushing on the ice will start backing up.  The rivers still have weeks to go before they break, they are still locked up solid.  Went to Chena park yesterday, walked out on the river.  The river is still solid, no hints of breaking up.  Walked upstream about two miles.  One of the small streams flowing into the Chena has a Beaver Pond on it.  The ice on the pond is frozen solid, but water is standing on top of the ice.

Anyone know how to contact Noah?  My boat is sitting in the back yard, with the trailer solidly frozen to the ground.  The Boat has four feet of snow in it.  Maybe it's time to start shoveling.
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Offline Old Fart

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Re: Looking like flooding
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2013, 08:42:02 AM »
After the drought we've had the last couple years I'm not gonna complain. But my house didn't have a river running through the yard when I bought it oh so many years ago. ::)
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Offline dakotashooter2

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Re: Looking like flooding
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2013, 10:30:36 AM »
Blame global warming..............................
Just another worthless opinion!!

Offline oldandslow

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Re: Looking like flooding
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2013, 01:09:29 PM »
I wish there was some way to funnel some of that down here to the flatlands. We are officially the driest place in the nation now. Even the mesquites are sick. I've lived my entire life on the south plains and this is the first time I've ever seen mesquites hurting for moisture.

Offline Sourdough

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Re: Looking like flooding
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2013, 02:36:22 PM »
So far today it's reached 50 degrees at 4 PM today.  Water standing everywhere.
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Offline ChungDoQuan

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Re: Looking like flooding
« Reply #5 on: May 09, 2013, 02:05:05 AM »
Drought? That's not a drought! The southwest, now THAT'S a drought!
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Offline Sourdough

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Re: Looking like flooding
« Reply #6 on: May 10, 2013, 02:49:06 PM »
Well the official temp is 58, but in my yard it's 62.  I've got water starting to fil;l up the lower portion of my front yard.  Starting about 30 yards behind the house it's becoming a lake back there.  The power line clearing running behind all the houses on this street has about two feet of water on it.  The real problem will come in about a week, when all the dsnow up in the hills starts coming down the riverbeds on top of the ice that is still there.  That ice will rise suddenly and start down river.  Then it will hit something immovable.  And icd dam will be created, and here will come the flood water.
Where is old Joe when we really need him?  Alaska Independence    Calling Illegal Immigrants "Undocumented Aliens" is like calling Drug Dealers "Unlicensed Pharmacists"
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Offline Oldshooter

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Re: Looking like flooding
« Reply #7 on: May 10, 2013, 03:55:11 PM »
Yea rog I'd get that boat shoveled soon!  :o   We had over 6 inches of rain here last night and more today! it wont flood here but some in town may be wading.
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Offline Sourdough

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Re: Looking like flooding
« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2013, 09:20:53 PM »
I just hope we don't have a repeat of the 1964 flood.  Fairbanks was underwater back then, as well as North Pole.
Where is old Joe when we really need him?  Alaska Independence    Calling Illegal Immigrants "Undocumented Aliens" is like calling Drug Dealers "Unlicensed Pharmacists"
What Is A Veteran?
A 'Veteran' -- whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserve -- is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America,' for an amount of 'up to, and including his life.' That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country today who no longer understand that fact.