Flooding

We've had more than our share of water here in MO.

As it was, several storms came through with hard, heavy rain, the week of Christmas. Then the real onslaught began on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day. It rained and rained and rained and rained. It just wouldn't let up. Hard, heavy, constant rain.

Our yard looked like this at one point:

[caption id="attachment_2503" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A river runs through it.[/caption]

That's not a ditch. It's from a deep culvert up by the road which runs into another huge drainage pipe that runs under our yard. It's usually covered by grass and completely indistinguishable from the yard around it. Thankfully, Ben was able to unblock the pipe so that it could get off our grass. I'm sure it would have done considerable damage to the yard if Ben hadn't found the blockage and cleared it away.

On the 30th, we drove up to 44 and Antire and snapped some pictures.

[caption id="attachment_2504" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Road Closed[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2506" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Westbound 44[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2507" align="aligncenter" width="200"] Gabe in the middle of the road[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2508" align="aligncenter" width="200"] Luke in the middle of the road.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2505" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Eastbound 44[/caption]

It was completely dead. So eerie!

After that, we took the back way to Eureka, MO. This is where Ben works. We weren't able to get very far.

[caption id="attachment_2509" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Brookdale Farms[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_2511" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Twin Rivers indeed[/caption]

Next, we took the roundabout way to 44 and 141:



[caption id="attachment_2517" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Road to nowhere[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2518" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Reporters and spectators[/caption]

We saw this little gem on one of the little side-roads off of 141:

[caption id="attachment_2519" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Attempting to turn around?[/caption]

Apparently he was there for hours because he was still there when Chelsea and Nate came through some time later.

According to local news...

• a 24-mile stretch of I-44 was shut down.


• the waters rose 4 ft over historic levels


• Governor Nixon declared a state of emergency


• 14 deaths were attributed to the flood. Most, if not all, were due to people who attempted to drive through water on flooded roads.


• Sewer and water treatment plants have been compromised in some areas

We, personally, have been fortunate that none of our family or friends have experienced injury or loss. Minor inconveniences, nothing more. So grateful.

So many roads have been closed that people are forced to stay home unless they absolutely need to be out. It's not what most people had planned for NYE, but it may not be the worst way to close one year and welcome another, either.