November 13 rain gauge:
November 14:
This morning, the flood waters had receded some from the front of our barn with the animals locked inside, awaiting possible evacuation.
These boards show how high the water level was last night. The one with the red bucket on it had traveled quite a ways from the feed shed where it had been.
Here is the side of the feed shed where these boards were yesterday.
I started pushing mud against the back barn doors, trying to keep the water out.
I moved some straw to the inside of the doors to try to create a barrier. Tom was out getting sand bags in Allen while I looked after the animals and barn.
It had been quite windy but not raining hard initially. But then it started raining hard. Yesterday the 30 inch culvert that drains our property had been flowing. Today it is not as there is no where for the water to go.
Tom arrived with the first batch of sandbags. We are shut off on three sides due to closed roads from teh flooding. But wee still ahve one route out.
We put some sandbags out on the front of the barn.
And some on the back.
I surveyed the evacuation route for the animals, if the barn floods. Here is the water coming down from the development behind our place.
The evacuation route appears to be open. But there is what appears to be fresh coyote scat there. Tom saw eye reflections out there last night. So it is not an ideal spot to move animals too. Hopefully we can keep the barn dry.
Tom is out getting more sand bags and gas for the truck. He says highway 99 is eroding badly with the flood waters and waves from the wind. So we may lose that route too, leaving only highway 99 toward Alger. The good news is that the Samish River has crested for the moment so our flood water should start receding, assuming we do not get too much more. Mount Vernon is in our thoughts as well. The prediction is 37 feet which is a record flood for them. They have the flood walls up there but it may not be enough.
Oh my! My heart goes out to you. It has been a year of trials of both fire and water. I do hope you get a break!
Thank you Dorothy! It has been a year of trials, for sure.
💕❤️💕
Oh Donna! That’s awful! I’m praying that the high water goes down, that you don’t have to evacuate, that your animals will be okay, that you and Tom will be alright.
Keep us posted.
Thanks Jeanne! So far, so good.
The water has been receding at our place which is good news. I’m not sure how it will drain out of your place in comparison, but if you do need higher ground for your animals, you could bring them over to our east field. We’d have to put up some electric net fencing to keep them out of the flooded area to the north side of that field, but that would be easy and I have the fencing to do it. We didn’t use that field at all this year, so it’s been more than a year since any of my livestock have been on the field. There is a shelter and a waterer setup over there, and it is fully fenced with solid field fencing. It’s about a half mile from your place. I don’t have a truck that’s working right now (I think I just need a new starter or starter solenoid but I don’t know how to test it so I haven’t fixed it), we do have a stock trailer that can hold up to 10 of our sheep at one time. Just let me know if you need to evacuate any of your animals; we’d be happy to help you out now or anytime in the future of course!
Thanks so much Maria!!! It looks like we will be OK for this storm. Our water levels are dropping. But I do appreciate the offer.
Thank goodness for sandbags, and your diligence! Hope it all goes well, and the receding waters continue to recede!! Bless your hearts!!!!!
Thanks Ruthie. The flood waters receded and now we have sandbags in place for next time.