5-30-11 p.m

Self reliance

It is amazing to realize again and again that Genola is not typical.  From watching neighbors come out to fill sandbags, even though the flooding is not expected to come close to their property, to seeing gown men hop in a mudhole up to their waists to attach a cable to a sinking tractor.  No, Genola is not typical.

I came across another example last night of the unusual character and flavor of our town.  Self sufficiency.  This is not to say that no one helps out.  As I stated before, we have seen plenty of that!  What we came across last night was the farmer down the road - tending to the water with his sons.  Digging ditches, moving dirt, covering berms with plastic with no expectation that anybody was coming to save them BUT them.  It was their land, and therefore their responsibility.  I, for one, can sure learn a lot from them!!!

This first video is Dale Davenport.  The flooding that happened in  84/85 ended up ruining a large portion of his farmland.  This year, he and his boys have been working to make sure the same thing does not happen again.

We noticed, on our drive down earlier in the day, that the orchard road has a very long, very large crack growing in it.  We took pictures, thinking of the worries the cracking is causing in our own driveway.  When we began talking to Charles, one of Dale's sons, asked what we thought of the crack.  We agreed that it was very large.  He then mentioned that the crack was right over the high pressure natural gas pipeline that was run through Genola 5 or 6 years ago.  They have called the pipeline company a few times - here is the reply:

he also said that the crack may not be the biggest issue with the pipeline.

I think one thing that has impressed me so much is the independence and self sufficiency of the people in Genola.  No one is depending on anyone else to come and save them.  Instead, they are digging in (literally), making their own plan for the water and how it will affect their property, and doing so with a great attitude!
I took this video of Spencer - the 12th child of Dale and Jennie.  I expected some bitterness about how the water was costing them both time and money.  Boy was I surprised!!!

5-30-11 a.m.

Down the road and into the field

After being thoroughly surprised by the water that had crossed onto the orchard road, we visited said road twice on Monday - Memorial day.  On our first visit saw water still pooled in the orchard. I don't expect that to change anytime soon.  As long as the water is coming to the orchard, it will continue to pass through the orchard and sit under the fruit trees.

We also saw that overnight, the water had progressed as far as it could go along the orchard road.  Dale's boys had built a berm to prevent the water going to the shop or the house, and have instead diverted it to go into a small trench in the field.

Water moving from orchard and on down the road

The first diversion is a very small berm leading into a trench between the road and field

The trench is very full of water, and has only been taking in water for a few hours.

It runs the length of the field leading towards Dale's home.

The larger berm is protecting the shop and home from the water.  It also leads the water into a small ditch  and into one of his fields.

Looking up the orchard road, toward the east.

5-29-1

A very heavy Saturday night of rain, and an off and on rainy day Sunday had us wondering late in the evening about the water in the orchard.  We were not prepared for the amount of water on the road.  We had assumed that the water would pool for a few days  - being purposefully kept on the road and not in the adjoining farm by a berm of dirt and plastic.  This was the sight when we got to the orchard road.

The rain was not only on the orchard road, it had enough force to be
running up the hill and toward Dale Davenport's land.  

A look at some of the trees that are under water.  I wish I had been more observant.
As I climbed out of Bob's truck, I closed the door pretty hard and saw two
ducks fly away.  They had been SWIMMING in the water
that was pooled beneath these poor trees!

5-28-11

By Saturday evening, the water in the orchard across the road had reached Row #37.  We could see where the water had actually reached the road, but must have soaked right in.  This means the path through the orchard is completely saturated, and will take no more water.
 Those trees that are now surrounded by water will most likely die.  The livelihood of the farmer who owns these trees is directly impacted by the death of trees in his orchard.  These are cherry trees, planted at the same time, nurtured and cared for for about 3-5 years until they begin to produce fruit. It is beneficial to the farmer to have all the trees of the same age, so they can be harvested at the same time and in the same manner.  Sadly, the death of the waterlogged trees will most likely result in bare holes in the orchard, as well as holes in the profitability of the orchard itself.
We unfortunately have located another large crack in our driveway.  We are counting our blessings that they are not near the house, however we still wonder - if the driveway begins to crumble and fall into the trench, will the house slide also?

The new crack is closer to the ditch.  It is to the north of our house - out from the driveways.
We can follow this crack to the subsequent cracks that go all
the way down the driveway itself.  

The warmer weather on Friday and Saturday must have aided in getting the water through
the orchard and onto the road.  This is not much water.  From here, there is an uphill run for
about twenty feet.  I am thinking the water will pool on the road before
making the shallow climb.

5-26-11 Visit with the County

On Thursday, the 26th, I had located a possible resource.  Someone who might be able to tell us something about where the water was going.  We were still seeing that approximately 1/4 of the water was going across the road and into the orchard.   I called the Utah County Engineer, and he agreed to come out that afternoon and take a look at the driveway cracking, as well as the water holes.  He did come at about 2:30 that afternoon and did some looking, head scratching and said he would look at some old maps and call us back.  The holiday weekend must have gotten in the way.  We have not yet heard back from him.

This same day, a concerned neighbor called and suggested that we line the ditch with some very heavy duty plastic in order to prevent the water from going into the holes.  Unfortunately, the cost of a 40X200 ft. sheet of  extra heavy duty plastic has prevented us from doing that to this point.  Hopefully, if we can locate the Engineer, and find that there is, indeed, a problem with the water being lost under the homes, the canal company will step in and line the canal.  

The water in the orchard the evening of the 26th had moved from row 22 to 30.  The ground is soaking in a lot of water.  I think that the water will move much more quickly once it hits the road.  If I had to guess, I would say that will be tomorrow - row 35 is pretty much even with the level of the road.  

On a brighter note, the Fire Chief in Genola - Greg is a great prankster.  I noticed a small sign at the bottom of our driveway tonight.

I called a friend at 9:30 pm, and told her I had a "vinyl letter emergency".  She was kind '
enough to take time from her own business to help change the signs over.
I think Greg was surprised the next evening when he came
home from work!
The signs came down, but were back up again the next morning - bearing
Bob's name again!

The kids and I spent all day watching for Greg to drive by, laughing at
how we had turned the tables.
Sometimes small towns are really fun!

This is the water that is exiting into the orchard across the road.  

You can see that the force of the water is wearing a path into the orchard.  The first 8-10 rows of
trees are beautiful all pines.  After that there are 169 rows of cherry trees.

There was not much change in the water situation on Friday the 27th.  Here is a video 

documenting that it has been a whole week since the canal was breached - a 

whole week of water flowing into the ground.  

5-25-11

Tree counting

We finally got curious about where the water was going, once it had crossed the culvert.  In looking at the incoming vs. the outgoing water, we surmised that perhaps 1/4 of the water entering the wash was exiting out the culvert.  I took my little boys on a tree counting expedition and found that there were 169 rows of fruit trees in the orchard.  On this day, Wednesday, the water had made it to row 22.  We are guessing that the water will go onto the road about row 35, and then pool for a while before going up the slight rise.

I had two very willing tree counters with me

This is the water pooled at row 22 in the trees.  A LOT of water has soaked into the orchard itself.

The berm the Davenport boys have built up to help protect their father's farm land

The orchards and the farm lands help to make Genola unique.  To truly get a picture of the impact
the flooding will have, I think we must first fully appreciate the beautiful
place we live, and the hard work of those farmers who
help to keep it this way!

5-24-11

Sink Hole City
         There was no excitement on this day.  Thank goodness.  The day was spent doing mundane tasks, but I could not resist the pull to go and document how much water was still going under ground.  Having had a discussion with a neighbor about liquefaction certainly did not help at all.  I am documenting in hopes of noting horrible ever happening.  In my nightmares, I see giant holes opening in the earth and swallowing homes, people, and yes, even tractors.

5-23-11

Monday was somewhat calmer.  The morning began with the track hoe coming and digging the canal deeper.  They seemed to be trying to get the water to go towards the culvert more completely.  I spent the morning documenting holes in the canal where water was still flowing into the ground, instead of heading toward the culvert.
 On Sunday, I had sent a few pictures of the tractor pull over to KSL.  Monday afternoon, a reporter called and asked if he could come out and get some pictures of the flooding situation.  I notified Chris and Vonna, and the Fowers family so that they could go on record as people being affected by the flooding.  It was a surreal experience to be interviewed, and also to be on the news.  Not one I hope to repeat anytime soon.

After all of the news excitement, we noticed some large cracking on our gravel driveway.  We are hoping that these are not related to the amount of water in the ground.  One other surprise of the day was that it seemed the new road was made of marshmallows!  Too much water in the road base left the road decidedly squishy.

Hoping to get the water to flow to the new culvert, the track hoe digs the trench deeper. 

Water now headed to the new culvert

Mike Fowers was a television PRO, discussing how many times the runoff water
has gone through the Fowers land and killed trees.

Chris and Vonna Johnson tell reporters that they don't know who to be mad at. 

Concerning cracks in the driveway.  Is the driveway going to slide into the canal?

Water still flowing into sink holes.  There is no way it is still "filling in the cracks and crevices"

  

Sunday morning, a group gathered in front of the water.   Ideas were tossed about,  How
to get the water across the road.  Finally, seeing that the water was eating away at the
land under the road, it was decided - a culvert would have to be
put in.  

By the time we returned from church, the roadwork was underway.  We were pretty nervous
about the track hoe sitting on a very unstable piece of land to do the digging.  This was one of the places that had
been filling from below with water and very unstable.  

The Davenports came up to inspect the happenings.  In the 80's when the flooding last happened, a large portion
of Dale's farmland was ruined.  This year, his grown boys have been
very proactive in seeing that their father's land will be protected.
Along with watching out for their family, they have filled and delivered sandbags, helped with
the new road, and some were even knee deep in the mud on this day.  

A small crowd gathered to inspect the progress on the new culvert.  

I could not help but take pictures as the track hoe sunk deeper and deeper into the unstable mud.  

The owner of the property was willing to pitch in and work on the tractor's air filter in an
effort to get it working better. 

One stuck tractor!

The interior of the road before putting in the culvert

The tractor was so low in the mud that at one point, there was mud pouring out of the
engine compartment.

Interested friends and neighbors came to watch the saving of a tractor.  

To see the neighbors in Genola who were willing to "jump in" baffled me.  What a wonderful place to live!

Neighbors came to watch, to help, and to lend moral support.