2012 Floods

We have been experiencing some serious rainfall this past week which has resulted in major flooding that this area hasn't seen since 1996. We haven't lived in Oregon that long but in the past 11 years we have seen our share of flooding and it has been nothing like this. I've experienced road closures, I've seen farmer's fields flood and I've chased water at a nursery I used to work trying to divert water away from everything. I've even attempted a water crossing on Lucy about this time last year but that's another story. We experienced an unseasonably dry, cold December and now we are paying for it with not only high water levels but with landslides and roads washing away.

Online photo courtesy of the Corvallis Gazette Times

The local newspapers are posting up stories everyday with photos showing the high water, reporting road closures and keeping us all updated of what is happening throughout the valley.

http://www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/rains-send-earth-moving/article_6d82891a-433c-11e1-bab4-0019bb2963f4.html

Some residents have been evacuated from their homes due to landslides while others simply have to deal with their homes flooding.

Online photo courtesy of the Corvallis Gazette Times

 http://www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/the-flood-of/article_96c74746-4339-11e1-be3a-0019bb2963f4.html

The Linn County Sheriff came by my work last week looking for empty grass seed bags to use for sandbags which they offer free to anyone who needs them.

http://www.gazettetimes.com/news/state-and-regional/homeowners-authorities-battle-rising-ore-rivers/article_009399ee-28ac-5055-bfa3-d3d4acf4a0f0.html

There was one accident last week claiming the life of a mother and her child when the car they were riding in was swept into a creek.

http://www.oregonlive.com/weather/index.ssf/2012/01/oregon_winter_storm_mother_and.html

While another driver tried to cross some high water and soon discovered that it was not such a good idea.

Online photo courtesy of the Corvallis Gazette Times

http://www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/woman-rescued-from-atop-her-car-in-flooded-creek/article_3eef0c12-4419-11e1-8eb1-001871e3ce6c.html

More articles and record breaking flood levels.


http://www.kgw.com/news/local/Benton-Co-nears-record-flood-levels-137703768.html



Rick Rick even went out and took these photos around his neighborhood and of some of our favorite riding roads, thanks Rick.

Photo courtesy of my friend Rick

Photo courtesy of my friend Rick

Photo courtesy of my friend Rick

Photo courtesy of my friend Rick

We are fortunate as we don't live in the flood plain and have not been affected by the high water and are safe as are many of our friends. I was a bit inconvenienced this afternoon as I had to ride Lucy home on the main highway instead of the backroads but the sun was shining and I stayed dry.

Here is a link to many YouTube videos regarding the flood of 2012:


http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=corvallis+flood+2012&oq=corvallis+flood+2012&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=4099l4099l0l4527l1l1l0l0l0l0l76l76l1l1l0

These roads are just south of our house. This is not me, just a video I found online, but I wonder if it is the same guy in Rick's picures.



An aerial video from the Gazette Times.




I hope everyone is safe out there, be careful and stay dry.

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