Instead it rained so much our rain gauge couldn't keep up.
It all started with a couple inches of rain on Friday. After the rain, we walked down to the bridge to see the water rush over the rocks. Quite a sight in a typically bone-dry creek.
On Friday night the weather forecast still predicted 20% chance of rain for Saturday so we went to bed thinking the rain was over. It was a surprise to wake up early Saturday morning to the sound of thunderstorms and pounding rain. Ten inches of rain fell, sometimes at the rate of two inches an hour, which is almost half our annual rainfall in just a few hours and nearly a year's worth during the recent drought years.
We spent Saturday at home watching the dry creek rise. The creek floods away from the house so we are fine and so is the garden.
We also kept an eye on the water flowing through the new dry creek in the side yard. As it turns out, it was trenched out just in time for this event and prevented flooding and erosion in the yard.
Because we live at the bottom of a hill, all the water from up the street flows down our driveway and into the back yard.
On a dry day or normal rainfall it might seem like we should try to capture more of it in the yard, but on days like this we see the importance of having a way for all that water to go into the creek quickly.
As I sat down to write this post on Sunday afternoon, it started to rain again.
Glad to hear you are high and dry. I was wondering how the rains might have affected you.
ReplyDeleteI don't recall seeing some of these views of your garden before. Is that a star shaped bed in the last picture?
There usually isn't a lot to show on that side of the yard. That is indeed a star-shaped bed and the very first planting bed I made nearly 20 years ago. Not much grows well there so I haven't shown it on the blog yet.
DeleteShirley,
ReplyDeleteGood to hear you are safe and did not have any damage. TX is notorious for flash floods, however this was a huge amount. The rain really helped highlight our drainage issues. Looks like we will have more work to do in the garden.
It was a lot of rain, second only to 1998 I've heard. Even though it might be a while before we get rain like this again it's important to prepare.
DeleteGlad to hear all is ok there. Pretty scary, when it comes down like that.
ReplyDeleteGood thing you got that dry creek ready on time.
We were surprised here, too. But, not as much rainfall here, as you had.
That's Texas for you....feast or famine.
Stay safe.
The storm stalled over us, apparently trapped by cooler than usual weather this spring.
DeleteYep, this is Texas. Stay safe up there too.
Same thing happened to us here in FW. Heard there was only a 20% chance so I got up early Friday morning to give everything a good soaking. Went to work to watch the clouds roll in and the rain begin. We did not get as much as y'all did but there were some pockets of rain that came down for a while and left a lot of farm land in the area full of water.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are high and dry. When the rain comes down so fast across those rocks the rain fills up the low spots pretty quickly.
I was planning to water Friday, that's how much stock I put in a 20% chance of rain. It's important not to underestimate the damage a storm like this can do. I saw on the news there is more on the way later this week.
DeleteAh, water front property with rapids no less! How beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYes, all that water coming down out of the sky was quite a surprise. Nobody has talked much about that.
I love your dry creek bed. Nice to see that it works so well. We also live on a slope and get the water from the yards uphill. Shortly after we moved here I noticed the path the water took in the back yard and designed the beds to give it free flow.
The area needs some work, we plan to add some more rock to the stream bed to make it look nicer but for right now we'll take the functionality.
DeleteGlad to hear that you and your garden are o.k! They say that Texas doesn't do anything in a small way.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely Texas, whether storms or drought it's always the biggest ever.
DeleteSo glad the water found its way to the creek and not into your house. It came as a total surprise to us too. I never went out from 1pm Friday until 3:30 Saturday. I had cabin fever. We have a similar situation here and have had to build a wall against all the water that comes down our hill. It is now channeled across and onto the septic field. It did give us the opportunity to put out some tanks to collect rain water. We now have 800 gallons but they filled up within just a few minutes. I hope it is over for a few days.
ReplyDeleteOur little creek worked well to channel water around the house. It's amazing how much water can be collected from the rain, we have a few barrels and buckets out but they do fill quickly. We are considering a better system and will probably engineer it ourselves as you did.
DeleteGlad to see you're okay; when I saw the news reports I immediately thought of you.
ReplyDeleteThat's so nice to hear Brian, we are fine but many local families are not.
DeleteOur newspaper had scary photos to accompany the story of your massive rainfall, naturally my thoughts turned to you. Good to know you and your garden are okay. While we've had our own (briefly) record setting rainfall this last week it's (thankfully) nothing like this!
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice you thought of us. Other than a brief grocery run on Friday when the rain quit we have been safe at home.
DeleteWow, record setting rain in Portland would have to be a lot of rain!
God bless all of you and glad to see you weathered it and got some much, much, needed rain!
ReplyDeleteThe rain was needed, but a little more spread out over the summer would be even better.
DeleteWater is so powerful when it's flooding. I have been in five floods in my life and lost a home once to a flood caused by a hurricane. I know just how water can be. Just stay safe and it is wonderful you put that channel in. We flood down here too at times. Glad it didn't affect you or your beautiful garden.
ReplyDeleteThank you Yvonne. Floods are terrible and I remember our home in Houston flooded when I was in high school. We didn't lose a lot but the recovery was pretty awful.
DeleteCraziness! I'm glad you're safe. I'm sure your garden was loving all the water. :o)
ReplyDeleteThe plants are growing quickly with all the rain, something we haven't seen in a while.
DeleteShirley, I'm happy you're OK, but not happy you got so much rain so quickly. All best.
ReplyDeleteThank you, we might wish for more of this in August.
DeleteCrazy weather patterns seem to be becoming the norm. Was going to say glad you weathered the "dry run", but that would be entirely too punny. More to come? Stay safe.
ReplyDeleteToo funny ricki! We're planning our week accordingly.
DeleteThe weather in Texas has always been crazy and I understand this is a return to the weather of 20 years ago.
I was thinking of you hearing the storm reports, but forgot about that low area behind your house...great pics illustrating what you told me happens. And now I understand better the need to route uphill and driveway runoff around the house better into that arroyo or creek.
ReplyDeleteI do remember you said that you didn't quite understand the dry creek through the side yard. The landscape is designed to hold quite a bit of rain runoff but needs an outlet on days like we had Saturday. Might be another 10 years before that happens again but better to have it and not need it.
DeleteYou walked right down the middle of the creek when you were here and there wasn't even a damp spot, then a week later it's full of rushing water.
How wonderful y'all built your creek bed to funnel into thatbigger dry creek! It looks like it worked incredibly well. Happy y'all are safe and sound - talk about a welcome home, eh Shirley!?
ReplyDeleteWow Shirley...I cannot imagine all that rain here...flooding would be everywhere as we are wet as it is...good that there was no damage to your garden and home.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have been thinking of you for the past few days. I'm so glad to hear that you, your house, and your gardens are OK! I can't believe how much rain you've had. When the sun comes out it's going to be quite a show! Can't wait to see your posts about that!
ReplyDeleteYes, I do remember hearing about how much rain you guys got. We had hardly a drop on that week. Glad you are OK. :0)
ReplyDelete