Subject: RE: Winfield 2009 - Walnut Valley Festival
From:
JohnInKansas
Date: 10 Sep 09 - 07:54 PM
Lin is trying to confuse me. I was logged in and she "forgot" to re-log.
The Hydrological Survey shows that the river crested at 17.97 feet at approximately noon today, and is decreasing, down to 17.53 at 16:00 (CDT). The projected decrease is fairly rapid, with an expected 10 ft drop within 24 hours. Areas that drain well, and that were only briefly under water, should be usable within a day or two if currently predicted weather upstream holds.
A quick tour to the Walnut Grove (17:00 - 18:00 CDT today) shows it about the same as same time yesterday, but people have placed markers on the road past the boat ramp that show a peak about a foot or foot and a half higher than now – or yesterday.
For discussion purposes, a look at Don Shorock's "Picker's Paradise" site is suggested. Don has a habit of using one page with "local links" to everything else, so when you copy a link from the browser address bar you get the same address for every page. You can right click and copy the link for a page before you click to go to it, but that confuses me.
At the above link, scroll down to the "Virtual Winfield." Click there (it might be virtual index) for a reasonably decent map of the campground.
At top left, there should be a pale green area, and the top left part of that area I assume would be what's called "the swamp" by some. The area in the far top left was – and is – under water. (The river was at about 17 ft at this time yesterday and now (18:00 CDT).)
The little stub road under the bridge is passable – and hasn't been noticeably wet, but anything more than a few yards west from it (near the bridge) is a placid lagoon. Some of that little corner retains water after the river goes down, if I recall past years, although I haven't been up there much for some years..
The road past the boat ramp was completely covered, but not deep on the road. The submerged area, between the road and the river, is unlikely to drain well, and anything West of that little road is likely to be pretty soft for more than a few days. (with the possible exception of a couple of high points where the fisherpersons camp regularly).
The ground on the other (east) side of that road is a foot to a couple of feet higher, and usually drains well, so inside the loop should be in fair to good shape for camping by Saturday, with the exception of a few spots that retain water just from spills and a bit of rain.
South of the boat ramp road, up to the power plant rubble wall, to where the one by the boat ramp road rejoins the other "streets" was almost all submerged, within a very few yards of the road; and that area also – IIRC – tends to retain water, so it would be "iffy."
At the bottom of the map, a pink and a bluish area indicate the traditional Pecan Grove. (The Eastern Desert – east of the grandstands, is now being called "part of the Pecan Grove" for campsite/lineup purposes.) I haven't been over to the south (traditional) Pecan Grove today, but yesterday evening it appeared that the river hadn't come over the banks, although the additional foot at the time of the crest may have let some water in. Most areas there drain fairly well, so except for lots of mud south of the main loop roads I wouldn't expect any problems – or at least none worse than what we get with a little local rainfall.
A few worry-mongers are claiming there are forecasts of additional rain "up north" which could cause another rise in the river. I don't have any confirmation of any such reports; but stay tuned … It would take another fairly massive downpour to upset things as they are now.
John
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sj
