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 My sister Helen has one of the most beautiful back yards around. Fragrant
flowers, decorative vines and attractive stone garden features fit in very
nicely with the small, gently flowing stream that flows across the lawn and in
front of the guest cabin. It sure is a pretty place to sit on a bench and relax
in the shade while the sounds of the gentle brook help melt away the tension
built up during a long, hard day.
Well, this afternoon that gentle brook was transformed into a raging river when
a rainstorm that would have impressed even Noah passed through the area. The
creek rose in a flash, and before she knew it Helen's beautiful back yard was
flooded with several inches of muddy water. Then, almost as quickly as it had
risen, the creek subsided and slithered back into its banks, leaving behind all
types of debris and considerable damage to the fence surrounding Helen's large dog
lot.
Flooding on this scale is rare these days in our part of southwestern Virginia,
but back when I was growing up it was quite common. The region received a lot
more snow during winters past, and the inevitable spring rains would melt the
snow very quickly which led to flash flooding in virtually every creek and river
around. The town of Damascus,
Virginia would get hammered every year, like clockwork. Roads and bridges
would be under water for days at a time, and when the muddy water finally
subsided the damage that had been hidden from view would have to be repaired.
Thanks to improvements in the area's infrastructure and changes in the weather
pattern over the years, such flooding has gone from routine to rare, but when it
does happen the results are just as distressing as they were back then.
After a little cleaning up and fence repair Helen's back yard will be just as
beautiful as before, but some of her neighbor's aren't so lucky. They'll be
working on their driveways, fences and basements in the days ahead, all the
while dreading the next time nature's fury pays a visit.
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