Missouri River Flood 2011: part 4

Another "no good news to report" post about the flood.

Corey has literally been working his butt off. I can't even begin to estimate how many people he has helped through sandbagging/delivering sandbags/building dikes/moving furniture/etc. He is back at work today ... even though he will be very busy at work, I'm sure it will be a welcome break form all the manual labor he has had the past few days.

Now for the numbers:
The last time I posted I hinted about a rumor of dam releases of 120,000 cfs. Well, that was confirmed and releases of 120,000 cfs will begin by this Thursday. Then they announced that 150,000 cfs will be released later this month. As a comparison, the video below was taken two days ago, during flows of 75,000 cfs ... which is HALF of the projected releases of 150,000 cfs. Wow.



Here is a gallery of photos from the same fly-over. Definitely worth a view.

Yesterday the Corps started releasing 85,000 cfs - that water is starting to arrive the Biamarck-Mandan area today (it takes about 30 hours for the water to move from the dam to Bismarck). Click here to view the river level chart. With the higher releases from the dam, there will be lots of action on this chart in the next few days. And just for the super geeks out there, here is a link to a page with many charts for the river at different locations.

On Sunday, we had "one last hurrah" at the Altringer's home to celebrate my cousin's graduation. The gathering was in the midst of evacuations, chaos, and dike construction. It was a nice break from the stress of it all.


This was the view from their driveway, looking across the street to the north.


LOTS of heavy truck traffic. Many roads in Bismarck-Mandan are closed to allow trucks to move faster and safer. It looks like a war zone around here.

My uncle Bob and his family have completely moved out of their home. Bob is rallying support for a bay-plugging and levee project that is currently being constructed. He says, "we are going down swinging."

. . .

In other news, we will be leaving tomorrow for Alaska (to visit my parents). I am excited to go, but sad to leave this behind us. I love this town and I want to be here to support everyone through the flood. We've had this trip booked for months, so we are going to keep our plans and head north. In my absence, I will be placing my Etsy shop in "vacation mode" ... the shop will appear empty/closed, but rest assured it will re-open and will be better than ever when we return mid-june.

So here is the plan:
FLY - June 1 - depart Bismarck Wednesday afternoon for Minneapolis. Depart Minneapolis in the evening - direct flight to Anchorage. Arrive in Anchorage just after midnight (which is 4 am our time). Sleep and rest at the airport until 6 am.
TAXI - June 2 - airport to train depot
TRAIN - eight-hour train ride from Anchorage to Denali National Park
HOTEL - June 2-3 - two nights just outside Denali Park
BUS - June 4 - depart early morning from Denali Park to Anchorage Airport (6-hour tour drive)
FLY - June 4 - late afternoon short flight from Anchorage to Kodiak
We'll be fishing, hiking and pretending to be locals in Kodiak until June 15, when we start our trip home (we will arrive back in Bismarck June 16).

So here is a hope and wish that Kya is a good little traveler ...
I'll send an early public apology to whomever is lucky enough to sit next to us on the seven-hour flight to Anchorage.

Missouri River Flood 2011: part 3

I've been delaying posting about the flood because the news is not good. And getting worse.

There was a news conference scheduled for 1:30 pm today but it was just delayed until later today at 5:30 pm. I hope that is good news but with the history of these meetings, I know it is bad news. The rumor is that the Corps will be letting 120,000 cfs (or more) out of the dam by Wednesday. That is drastically more than previously scheduled. This means many things to many people, but among them: the protective levees might not be completed ... or even started by Wednesday ... leaving thousands of homes unprotected from a raging river.

Rumors are running wild and I really don't know what to trust.

One thing I do know is that everyone is needed to help fight the food. Corey is out on day three of HARD work. I am just trying to keep enough calories in him to keep him going. I am home taking care of Kya with my mind heavy about all the people that will be affected by flood water. It is just way too dangerous to have Kya in tow near any of the flood prep areas. I put a call out to friends that I would watch their baby/child if they are evacuating/sandbagging/helping. Hope I can help in some way.

Please keep Bismarck-Mandan and everyone battling hard times in your prayers.

. . .

Here is a YouTube video that accurately shows the atmosphere/activity around Bismarck/Mandan. The video was taken the evening of May 25 (three days ago). Just try to imagine the heightened scene today.



. . .

A few photos from our day of sandbagging on Thursday.


The Altringer house flood barrier on Lakewood Bay. (they are family)


Neighbors of the Altringer's (looking east). I've seen lots of different types of levees being built. Some are even made with round hay bales (a total shot in the dark wether it will work or not). People are desperate.


A small section of sandbag central at the Missouri Valley Fairgrounds. Corey and I waited for over an hour to get one pickup load of sandbags, which we delivered to a friend's home in south Bismarck.


The long line of cars waiting for sandbags.

Missouri River Flood 2011: part 2

I become more sad each time I post about our loved river cabin and the rising river. I have to remember that there are many many people in Bismarck and Mandan losing a lot more than a "cabin" river lot... but it is still sad.

Taken at 1 pm on Wednesday, May 25.
In all honesty, I feel kind of strange posting these photos because the river is still far lower than it will be in the next few days. But it is already so much higher than it was Monday.


As I took this photo my grandpa was mowing the lawn right next to me. I love their optimism.


My grandma was busy weeding her flower beds around the cabin.
There is a lot of love in this place.


Please don't fall into the river.

. . .


Updated Flood Map Book from the City of Bismarck

Other charts are maps from the City of Bismarck: http://www.bismarck.org/index.aspx?nid=651

Bismarck Tribune section with all flood-related articles: http://www.bismarcktribune.com/news/flood2011/

The Dakota Zoo (yes, the same one we visited just a few weeks ago) is relocating all animals to other zoos in North and South Dakota. The zoo is closing indefinitely starting at 4 pm today.

Missouri River Flood 2011: part 1

If you haven't heard the news ... here it is in a nutshell:

The Missouri River is rapidly rising due to full reservoir conditions up river at Lake Sakakawea (also in North Dakota). Rivers flowing into the reservoir are very full and producing much more water than the dam can handle. Thus, the Army Corps of Engineers are releasing LOTS of water into the river to reduce stress on the dam. They are increasing the output/water levels daily (even hourly).

As I write this, the river is at 14.5 feet.
My favorite river monitoring chart can be found here.
We are told that the river will most likely rise at least two four more feet in the very near future.

The Corps said they will increase releases from the dam to 85,000 cfs by Monday. That is up from 75,00 cfs tomorrow. Releases are currently at about 60,000-65,000 cfs.

...

So, yesterday we helped my grandparents attempt to secure their river bank in hopes that it won't be washed into the river. This is their summer cabin, a very loved place for us.

On a normal year, the river is well below this walkway (I'd guess about 10 feet below the level shown here).

We'd usually have the boat dock attached to this walkway. Yesterday it looked more like a diving platform.

Here are the guys (from back: Grandpa Darwin, Uncle Bob, Corey, and my mom's cousin's husband Rod) – nailing tarps to the walkway and railroad ties in hopes that it will help hold the bank from washing into the river. The walkway was already very saturated and water was lapping over parts of it.

Today, in a effort to preserve the fragile shorelines, a "no wake zone" was issued for the entire river between Burleigh and Morton counties (all of the river between Bismarck and Mandan).

Our house is high and dry, so I doubt we'll have any water trouble, but we have many friends and family that will experience affects from this water.

Here are a collection of aerial photos taken by the National Guard

and the most recent article from the Bismarck Tribune: Ready for 75,000 cfs? Bismarck braces for bigger Missouri River

and the Facebook page for the North Dakota Flood Info Center (hosted by the Bismarck Tribune)

and a 2011 Flood Map Book from the City of Bismarck:
Click on this link: http://www.bismarck.org/index.aspx?nid=651
then scroll all the way down, to the bottom right item "2011 Flood Map Book"
It is big, so it will take a LONG time to load - be patient, this one is very detailed and definitely worth it. I think they are updating this packet with the new/higher river levels. I'll post again when they have it available.

kya's first pony

I think the sweetness of this "first pony" day was more appreciated by the ladies of the house than the guy (ahem, the guy with no hair).

Doesn't she look like a blonde Pebbles Flintstone? Too bad Halloween is still five months away.

Kya says "but mom, I want PIG tails!"


"I am very very mad. I am so mad that I am going to wake you up many times tonight. So there."

to the zoo

Sunday was a fun day. There really is no other way of saying it.
On Saturday, we ran errands and did all our weekend chores. We even went to Saturday evening mass.

Sunday morning was slow and relaxing, spent lounging in pajamas and enjoying a homemade brunch. The weather was finally sunny and [gasp!] warm and [gasp!] not windy. We were in great spirits.
Kya took a morning nap and then we headed out to the Dakota Zoo.








A lucky bison got to meet Bison Booties. It was a big moment in history.


My little girl played at the park for the first time.


Yeah, she liked it. A lot.


The slide was a little scary for my sweetie, but she smiled through it.

It's fun living in a small community like Bismarck-Mandan ... it seems like everywhere you go, you bump into friends. That was true again at the zoo. Such fun.

After the zoo, we got to visit the newest baby of the family, miss Lauryn. Lauryn is the new little sister to my cousin Parker. She is adorable, sweet and the most sound sleeper I have ever known. She gives a good name to "sleep like a baby."


I didn't fully realize how much Kya has grown in the last year until I held Lauryn. Wow, I have a CHILD!


Lauryn. Welcome to the family!

All About Kya

Happy Mother's Day to all the great moms, aunts, and grandmas out there. We definitely have been blessed with the best of the best.


Today is Mother's Day so I think it is only appropriate to write all about my little miss Kya.

Kya had her first big newspaper appearance today in the Bismarck Tribune. Kya and I and Bison Booties had a whole story to ourselves written about North Dakota mom statistics and my experience being a mom.  Click here to read the story.


This morning the three of us went for a walk down the gravel road. It was a beautiful warm sunny morning ... without wind! Just what I wanted for Mother's Day.


Kya loves sunglasses. Especially if they belong to me.


She seems to think they are hers.


Kya also loves spicy food. I'm not referring to "mild" or even "medium" spicy. SPICY! Corey says it is because she bathed in hot sauce for nine months (I craved spicy food every day of my pregnancy). I think a taste for spice runs in her genes (both Corey and I enjoy spicy food). Whatever the cause, she will happily eat spicy green curry, hot salsa, hot sauce, and spicy V8 juice. Her latest favorite is a Pancheros pork burrito with hot salsa and fuego sauce ... this was almost too spicy for me.


She has recently become a very good sleeper. It was about time. For six nights straight, our 13-month old Kya has slept a solid 12 hours without waking up.


She is also taking better naps during the day.
A baby that loves sleep: Best Mother's Day gift. Ever.


Kya's hair is quickly growing in and filling out. We have been having fun spiking it at bath time ...


and experimenting with static.

Thank you Kya for letting me be your Mother. I love you so very much!