Was going to post a pic of the river up here but the webcam isn't turned on.

 

Night shift checkin in

 

Evening John. Just got home from granddaughters ball game. They got beat bad by a 0-5 team. Grandaughter pitched the first 5 innings. Gave up 6 runs. Combination of poor pitching and poor fielding behind her. So now time to kick back and watch the Twins game.

 

Long range weather pattern predictions say with continued global temperature rise, we'll get wetter winters and springs. Might not be a bad idea for the Corp of Engineers to start planning widening some areas of these rivers before the property losses start hitting billions a year. There are some major chokepoints, especially at some of the dams.

Was a lot worse before the current system was built, though. I've seen photos of the first place I lived in Missoura, back in '47, in the river bottoms south of St Joe. The cliffs to the east are five miles away, and the river spread out to them several times. A grandpa that farmed in that said he never had to fertilize, everything grew great in the gray silt deposit. That was well into the 70's, too, don't know about today.

 

The land to the west of the Interstate out there still floods regular, and thus refreshes itself. The problem everywhere in the St. Louis region is that developers bought the farmland in the flood plains and convinced the politicians to build them gigantic levees so they could develop the land. Chesterfield Valley in West St. Louis County is the shining example. They developed to crap out of it, the levee failed, insurance paid. They built the levee higher, redeveloped everything and added more development while they were at it. The finest farmland anywhere is all under pavement and buildings now, and the water that used to spread is now constrained. My town built a levee 10 or so years ago, and boy are they happy. But, of course, they don't give a crap what happens elsewhere, as long as they are dry. And so it goes up and down the rivers.


Chesterfield Valley in 1993

 

once in a semi last night was enough for me.....took the night off.

 

Evening Rocket. Twins playing homerun derby tonight. Leading 8-0 going to the 8th inning. They have hit 6 homeruns tonight.

 

first night with the new mattress.....when I get tired of cable in the living room, I'll go up and see how long I last watching you tube.

 

I am proud to be a United States Coast Guardsman.
I revere that long line of expert seamen who by their devotion to duty and sacrifice of self have made it possible for me to be a member of a service honored and respected, in peace and in war, throughout the world.
I never, by work or deed, will bring reproach upon the fair name of my service, nor permit others to do so unchallenged.
I will cheerfully and willingly obey all lawful orders.
I will always be on time to relieve, and shall endeavor to do more, rather than less, than my share.
I will always be at my station, alert and attending to my duties.
I shall, so far as I am able, bring to my seniors solutions, not problems.
I shall live joyously, but always with due regard for the rights and privileges of others.
I shall endeavor to be a model citizen in the community in which I live.
I shall sell life dearly to an enemy of my country, but give it freely to
rescue those in peril.
With God's help, I shall endeavor to be one of His noblest Works -
A UNITED STATES COASTGUARDSMAN.

 

noted.



and thank you for your service, btw....my brother is in charge of security at the New London Ct. command......small world.