A month after floods inundated eastern Oklahoma, another round hit. Matthew Chapman (right)and his brother-in-law Ryan Loken carry a mattress through flood waters as they clear out Champman's home in the 800 block of Scraper street in Vinita on May 25, 2011, the day after flooding heavy rain filled up the neighborhood around 10 p.m. the previous night. MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World
A man braves the flood waters on a bulldozer as he makes his way south on Scraper street in Vinita, OK May 25, 2011, the day after flooding heavy reain filled up the neighborhood around 10pm the previous night. MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World
It was a terrible time to be on the
Illinois River this time last year.
It was on April 26, 2011, that the river near Watts reached 28.6 feet, besting the old record by more than 2 feet.
For some perspective, the river right now at Watts is 2.7 feet.
Now, the Illinois is no stranger to floods. Part of the recreational appeal is its beauty that has been shaped by flood after flood over several millennia. And the fact that the floatable sections are still mostly wild and free means it will flood.
But last year was no ordinary flood.
More than 10 inches of rain fell in Tahlequah last April. In Fayetteville, an area in the Illinois River watershed, more than 15 inches of rain fell last April, including nearly 5 inches on April 25.
That caused flash floods in northwest Arkansas and Missouri that killed seven people.
All that water rushed down the already-swollen Illinois and quite literally sent it to new heights.
I went floating on the Illinois around the first of April last year, which was the perfect time. After the flood, most of the river was full of debris and made it nearly impossible to navigate. Even if you could, you would have been hard-pressed to find an outfitter who wasn’t nearly wiped away in the rising water.
That was a continuation of the insanity that was 2011. First we had blizzards, then we had this flood. Then the Illinois reached the third highest crest in recorded history when it hit 25 feet a month later.
Then the faucet was turned off. The Oklahoma Mesonet station at Tahlequah, that had 10 inches in April and nearly 7 inches in May recorded 1.5 inches in June then 0.58 inches in July.
Archives from the
U.S. Drought monitor show how quickly that drought spread east until it reached its peak in September.
So how are we now? Pretty good!
Tulsa County hasn’t been in any drought category since March 13. Since then, thanks to several downpours we’ve had in Oklahoma, the percentage of the state in drought condition has decreased to about 25 percent. Most of that drought is still in western Oklahoma, but it’s not nearly as bad as it was last summer.
And it will continue to improve. While we are currently down for the month in rainfall total, there is a pretty good chance of storms Saturday night and Sunday. Considering we’re more than an inch above normal for the year, and with the wet month of May to go, we should be in pretty good condition going into summer.
I hope your gardens are enjoying this, aside from the heat… If they end up producing, don’t be a stranger! Let me know on
Twitter. Also, check out the newly designed
weather page, with more detailed forecasts from the National Weather Service!
--Jerry Wofford
