That's a horrible title for a blog post, but it's certainly appropriate for this one!
This year has been exceptionally wet for Montana, to understate the situation. Our annual yearly average rainfall is generally around 12 inches; our actual rainfall for JUST the month of May this year was a little over 8 inches! And that doesn't even count the moisture from the snow...that's straight rainfall. The ground is saturated (something we almost never say, in Eastern Montana) and water is running off into all the little coullees and potholes, reservoirs are brimming.
If you look at a map of Montana, you'll see a large, seemingly out-of-place body of water across the center of her...the Fort Peck Lake. It was created by damming up the Missouri River in the 1930s; I won't get into all the history, here, because a.) I'd get it wrong and my family would call and email me to correct it, and b.) not everyone is into history and would groan, leave the Chronicles disillusioned and never read to the end of this post. If you want to read about the making of the dam (which really is fascinating) you can go to http://www.fortpeckdam.com/ and get the info.
Even if you don't like history, there are some things you should know about the dam and lake in order to appreciate the rest of my story. Excerpted from the Billings Gazette, June 11, 2011:
By the numbers
Fort Peck Dam is the second-largest dam in the United States and the eighth-largest in the world.
The earthen dam was built in the 1930s by pumping a mud slurry from below into forms. The slurry was then allowed to dry.
The reservoir behind the dam is 134 miles long and boasts 1,520 miles of shoreline when the reservoir is at an elevation of 2,234 feet. Right now, the dam's elevation is more than 2,250 feet, its maximum pool. At its deepest, the reservoir is 220 feet deep.
The spillway is located three miles east of the dam and has been used four times -- in 1975, 1976, 1979 and 1997.
This year is only the fifth time since it was built that the Corps of Engineers has opened the spillway, and they're releasing record amounts of water (37,000 cubic feet EVERY SECOND) into the Milk River and on down to the Missouri.
I had to see it. I had to take my kids to see it. Everyone else in Eastern Montana had to see it too, it would appear. It's history in the making!
Big, big water...
This is a shot from the back side of the dam. That's a car, circled in red....it's hard to give a good idea of how big this dam is, without proportional examples.
Cars driving on the top of the dam, toward Glasgow. (Don't we have incredible skies?)
And here it is: the spillway, where all the action is!
The lines of this structure....I couldn't stop looking at the symmetry....
Scared of heights? Then you'd probably better not walk the top of the spillway...
I'm a wee bit nervous about heights....and terrified of my kids leaning over to look!
This is where the water explodes into the river....
One of the sixteen gates, where the water is being released. If all the gates were opened fully, 2 million gallons per second would blow out of there!
It's hard to show, but the gates are raised by these huge chains.
This is the back of the gate, holding the water.
You can't imagine how loud it is!
Looking at more water than he's ever seen in his little life...
See the beautiful light posts? They're big metal poles with beautiful detailing. (Close ups to follow for Rosie.)
One thing we noticed and discussed was how beautiful the design of all the buildings is....they're not only practical and functional, but they have art deco lines. I wish that much attention was paid to structures designed these days.
The kids HATE having their picture taken. Someday they'll regret their grumpy reluctance to smile...
We went to a little cove to splash around for a little bit before heading home.
It was a leetle cold....
...but that didn't deter anyone from splashing in!
Happy smiles, through chattering teeth!
Angus would go down to the water then run back when a little wave splashed up against the shore...
Maggie found this hilarious, and teased him about being scared of the water.
Time to go! Wet toesies in dirty socks...
The country around the reservoir is rough, with hills that just scream "Dinosaur bones hidden here!"
Welcome to the Hell Creek Formation, one of the dinosaur capitols of the world. I took these pictures on the way home, from the car, so they're a bit blurry.
Who can resist little Hereford calves, with their sparkling white faces? Not the Farmer's Wife!
*We also went to the Fort Peck Interpretive Center, but this post had to have boundaries. I think the Farmer is going to post pictures from that little jaunt. If he does, I'll link to it so you can see the kids' favorite part of our little field trip.
3 comments:
Man that is a lot of water! I just wish you could send some my way. I am still praying for rain, but not like what you have had.
How far is this from your house? Nice shirt, by the way...
Oh, Rosie, I wish we could send some your way, too! We've had years like yours, and I'd rather have too much rain than too little.
And Susie K., the dam is about 80 miles from the ranch. Nearly next door, by Montana standards. :) Thanks for the compliment on the shirt! They're smoking hot, right now....hope they can keep up the momentum.
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