Near Disaster Averted: My $1000 Summer Saves the Bridge!

In summary: Freezes hard. Snows again.. (repeat till disgusted).In summary, the creek almost lost a bridge due to the amount of water flowing. It rained hard this week and the next day. The area is growing rapidly and the weather is changing. Ivan is a wreck and needs some time to relax. They are predicting more rain for the rest of the week.
  • #1
Ivan Seeking
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We almost had a small disaster yesterday. Get this: Going by the book, using good numbers and a known technique for making such estimates, [I have played with this a lot] last night, in our creek that normally carries about 200 gallons per second in heavy flows, we had approximately 1800 gallons per SECOND flowing by. We almost lost the bridge, and my $1000 worth of work this summer is now half way to the pacific ocean. It rained like crazy this week; then it absolutely poured all night and the next day. I woke up to see the water skimming the bottom of the foot bridge which is normally 3 feet above the water in normal flows [20+ feet wideat that point]. This was as much water as I saw moving in the 500 year flood we that we had a few years ago. I was a wreck all day. It would have taken out the bridge, fence, septic line, and four satellite lines. We also would have had no access to the back acreage or any way to build a bridge until next summer. We took some minor damage but not too bad all things considered. Whewwwww!
 
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  • #2
We've had a lot of water here too - in the white form. Snows, sun melts top. Freezes hard. Snows again.. (repeat till disgusted).

Hey I wonder how the Europeans are doing with all that weather they had a while back.
 
  • #3
That's too bad. Stuff's okay here, for now. But my area is growing like crazy and all the black top is altering the atmosphere, we've got an enormous heat bubble around us that is altering how we receive rain. It's barely noticable yet, but I forsee it getting worse.
 
  • #4
Ivan,

I am surprised, not realizing that sort of thing happened there. I don't wonder that you're a wreck. Take some time to de-stress, sleep, veg out.

(I would have thought Tsunami would have magic powers over water disasters. Go figure.)

-Zooby
 
  • #5
Ivan,
Good to hear that you have survived so far. Seems that they are predicting more rain for the rest of the week. You are pretty high, does this mean that we have a high snow level? Hopefully it will cool down, and the stuff will not run off the mountains so fast!

I have a bit of a mechanic project going, trying to swap engines in a small pickup. We have been watching the sky and dashing out to work when it looks like we will have a bit of a dry spell (got in 3hrs this afternoon!) Just watched it pour yesterday.

Hey, when we going to get together again?
 
  • #6
Originally posted by zoobyshoe
I don't wonder that you're a wreck. Take some time to de-stress, sleep, veg out.

Ya, I was sweating bullets and Tsunami keeps looking out the window and saying "COOL!".

(I would have thought Tsunami would have magic powers over water disasters. Go figure.)

-Zooby

the last time I saw her she was straddling a big log and just entering the rapids; with a big bottle of whiskey in one hand and Zooby in the other. I'll let you know when I find 'em.
 
  • #7
Originally posted by Integral
Ivan,
Good to hear that you have survived so far. Seems that they are predicting more rain for the rest of the week.




You are pretty high,

If this keeps up I will be...oh, you meant above sea level.

does this mean that we have a high snow level? Hopefully it will cool down, and the stuff will not run off the mountains so fast!

I'm only about 400 ft. Usually a low snow level for us is about 1500 ft down to the valley floor [325 ft]. I don't know what its doing up in them thar hills. By the looks of my fence, I would say most of the snow has melted.

Hey, when we going to get together again?

How about thurday; by boat or by car at Home Depot for dogs?

PM me with a good time and day. Aside from a trip to the coast one day, I'm in my office the rest of the week; so I only have one day to plan around.
 
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  • #8
the last time I saw her she was straddling a big log and just entering the rapids; with a big bottle of whiskey in one hand and Zooby in the other. I'll let you know when I find 'em.
What are you talking about?
 
  • #9
Originally posted by Jonathan
What are you talking about?

oh, sorry, our newest cat is named Zooby; in honor of zoobyshoe. Now, every day I get to say: "Hey zooby, quit licking your butt!"
 
  • #10
Originally posted by selfAdjoint
We've had a lot of water here too - in the white form. Snows, sun melts top. Freezes hard. Snows again.. (repeat till disgusted).

Hey I wonder how the Europeans are doing with all that weather they had a while back.
I can relate! I lived in Green Bay for four years and THAT was enough snow to last me a LIFETIME!
 
  • #11
Originally posted by Jonathan
What are you talking about?
HEY! Zooby the Cat and I like to shoot the rapids on a log with a bottle of whiskey! You got a problem with that?!

edit: That's what surfers DO in Oregon in the winter. It's not quite the same, but it's good practice.
 
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  • #12
I still don't get it, do zoobyshoe and Tsunami live in Oregon, or was it just the cats? Then how and why were they holding a bottle of whiskey? Oh never mind, it doesn't matter anyway...
 
  • #13
I hear you Ivan...I just moved into a new apartment on stilts because there is a small creek that is about 20 yard from our place...but once the oregon sunshine came flooding down (i live just outside of portland myself) that creek had flooded the grounds below the stilts! I was truly amazed at how much water can come from the sky...

btw...WHAT'S WITH ALL THE MENTORS FROM OREGON?
 
  • #14
Originally posted by Jonathan
I still don't get it, do zoobyshoe and Tsunami live in Oregon, or was it just the cats? Then how and why were they holding a bottle of whiskey? Oh never mind, it doesn't matter anyway...

We're just pulling your chain a little here Jonathan.

Tsunami and I are married.

We live in Oregon

Tsunami does not really ride logs in whitewater; nor does she drink whiskey [as far as I know].
 
  • #15
Originally posted by Kerrie
WHAT'S WITH ALL THE MENTORS FROM OREGON?

It must be a conspiracy!
 
  • #16
trust no one, and stay away from OREGON!
 
  • #17
Originally posted by einsteinian77
trust no one, and stay away from OREGON!
Wise choice...:wink:
 
  • #18
Oh.
Einsteinian and Ivan, you are right, it is a conspiracy, all of it, and we must trust no one.










Doo-dee-doo-dee-dee-doo-plinkedy-plunkedy-plunck-plunck-plunck
Doo-dee-doo-dee-wee-woo-plinkedy-plunkedy-plunck-plunck-plunck
 
  • #19
I live here too

Sorry to hear about your castle and land being threatened. I'll be happy if I can afford to pay the new Multnomah County income tax(1.25%). I'm probably one of the surfs/poachers living on your land.
 
  • #20
I have noticed that Oregon is pretty well represented in other forums as well. Could be seen as an indication of the high level of computer literacy, or more likely, an indication that there is simply nothing else to do but sit in front of a computer and watch it rain!

I am still amazed to find Ivan is a neighbor, well, on a global scale, 15 - 20mi is nothing.
 
  • #21
Heck, we had mostly the all the same physics professors at OSU.
 
  • #22
Originally posted by Tsunami
Wise choice...:wink:

whatchoo talkinbout women?

She just went to Hawaii; I'll hear about it for a year! Really, we almost moved there recently on a whim. We decided that we had better not be so whimmy. The gloomy weather here can be depressing, and the moisture is a constant struggle for home owners. If you don't like really big cities, or if you like the country life, I think Oregon is one of the nicest places to live, but the rain is oppressive and not everyone can take it.

While we're on the subject...Tsunami is going to kill me for this...I guess you get one now but be nice!

When out and about on the farm during rainy weather, or in this case, in the snow, the dress-up and dress-down process upon entereing or exiting the home can be quite lengthy. If one suddenly senses a pending urinary event, the delay for dress-down - in order to use the civilized facilities indoors - can be quite lengthy. One day Tsunami had just such a problem. She decided to go behind the wood pile, a very private location, and I waited with the dogs; the biggest of these being the 90LB mixed breed - our beloved [recently departed] Dr. Who.

I looked just in time to see the Dr. and his 30 degree nose heading right for Tsunami's exposed elements. Then, accompanied by a loud scream, I saw Tsunami's head pop up well above the wood pile; the top of which was higher than Tsunami is tall.
 
  • #23
Originally posted by Integral
I have noticed that Oregon is pretty well represented in other forums as well. Could be seen as an indication of the high level of computer literacy, or more likely, an indication that there is simply nothing else to do but sit in front of a computer and watch it rain!

I am still amazed to find Ivan is a neighbor, well, on a global scale, 15 - 20mi is nothing.

oregon sunshine does tend to keep you inside for some reason , but so does the hot summer sun in phoenix arizona!
 
  • #24
Originally posted by Ivan Seeking
Tsunami is going to kill me for this...I guess you get one now but be nice!

When out and about on the farm during rainy weather, or in this case, in the snow, the dress-up and dress-down process upon entereing or exiting the home can be quite lengthy. If one suddenly senses a pending urinary event, the delay for dress-down - in order to use the civilized facilities indoors - can be quite lengthy. One day Tsunami had just such a problem. She decided to go behind the wood pile, a very private location, and I waited with the dogs; the biggest of these being the 90LB mixed breed - our beloved [recently departed] Dr. Who.

I looked just in time to see the Dr. and his 30 degree nose heading right for Tsunami's exposed elements. Then, accompanied by a loud scream, I saw Tsunami's head pop up well above the wood pile; the top of which was higher than Tsunami is tall.
Well, his nose was COLD! (You're a dead man, Ivan! Let's see...the lucky socks, the biter on the cheek... I just can't decide. Maybe I'll just think about it a little longer.) :wink:
 
  • #25
Originally posted by Tsunami
Well, his nose was COLD! (You're a dead man, Ivan! Let's see...the lucky socks, the biter on the cheek... I just can't decide. Maybe I'll just think about it a little longer.) :wink:
Get in a punch or kick for me, would you, Tsunami?
 
  • #26
The oregon census

The rain isn't the only thing that's oppressive. Depending on which hamlet you live in here in Portland/ Vancouver. According to the recent US census there are over 1,300,000 hispanics living here. A recent poll of citizens in Hillsboro 12 miles west of Portland said the worst part of living in the city was all the mexicans. This may sound racist but due to my economic level I am forced to rub elbows with them all the time.
 
  • #27


Originally posted by Portlandmann
The rain isn't the only thing that's oppressive. Depending on which hamlet you live in here in Portland/ Vancouver. According to the recent US census there are over 1,300,000 hispanics living here. A recent poll of citizens in Hillsboro 12 miles west of Portland said the worst part of living in the city was all the mexicans. This may sound racist but due to my economic level I am forced to rub elbows with them all the time.

Well ... yes. I would say that you either have tragicly sensitive elbows or are racist. Surely with all those Mexicans around there is a free clinic that can look into your elbow problem. Perhaps you could learn the Spanish phrase for, "Please do not rub my elbows, they are sore."

Njorl
 
  • #28
Actually my Father used to use that term and I believe it is in reference to sitting at a bar with others. It's the only place you could rub elbows. It does sound funny though, huh? When you take it to extreme out of context. "rubbing elbows" How about "*******s and elbows"? I want to see nothing but *******s and elbows you maggots. Or elbow skin as a Japanese man once referred to his deep fried tofu. I've gotten into trouble with my views on illegal immigration. I know, "whos to say your grandfather wasn't an illegal immigrant". Again due to my economic statis I must live and work with the poor people of the sun. Most of them don't speak english much being they can't even speak spanish correctly let alone write or read it. I imagine you have a house that keeps you insulated from others and work that is to your liking in a part of town with people just like you. I live in apartments and get to listen to others lives. My part of America looks more like mexico now. I'll probably be buried next to one of the children of atzlan. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow about my messed up back and I'll ask about the elbows.
 
  • #29
Note to all, Portlandmann does not speak for all Oregonians.
 

1. What is the significance of the $1000 summer in "Near Disaster Averted: My $1000 Summer Saves the Bridge!"?

The $1000 summer is significant because it was the amount of money that the scientist was able to raise in a short amount of time to repair the bridge, preventing a potential disaster.

2. How was the bridge in danger of collapsing?

The bridge was in danger of collapsing due to structural damage and wear and tear over time. The scientist noticed cracks and other signs of deterioration during routine inspections.

3. What actions did the scientist take to save the bridge?

The scientist took a proactive approach and organized a fundraising campaign to raise money for the bridge repairs. They also worked with engineers and other experts to come up with a plan to fix the bridge and prevent future disasters.

4. Were there any challenges faced during the bridge repair process?

Yes, there were several challenges faced during the bridge repair process. These included finding the right contractors and materials, dealing with budget constraints, and managing the logistics of the repair work.

5. Has the bridge been successfully repaired and is it safe now?

Yes, thanks to the efforts of the scientist and their team, the bridge has been successfully repaired and is now safe for public use. Regular inspections and maintenance will continue to ensure the safety of the bridge in the future.

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