More Water Flowing From Table Rock Dam

On Thursday, April 10, when I wrote my most recent post, the weather was a beautiful 70-something degrees, mostly sunny with puffy clouds, and the water was being released through Table Rock Dam at a rate of 235,000 gallons per second. Later night the flow was increased to 341,000 gallons per second.

By the next day the Army Corps of Engineers was getting ready to increase the flow yet again to over 400,000 gallons per second. The water level downstream, of course, rose to devasting levels. We went out to the dam again on Friday and, not only had the flow of water changed, but so had the weather. With temperatures in the 50's and winds up to 40 mph it was cold! The skies were also a dreadful grey. As we approached the dam we could see that water from the lake was also splashing over the flood gates. This time we drove over the dam to a lookout at the top. What we saw on the lake left us gawking and repeating over and over "I don't believe this!" The lake was not only 2-3 feet from the top of the dam, but the wind had whipped up white caps the likes of what you see on sea shores. Thus the lapping of water over the gates.

The images were awesome, but mostly bleak. So, to fill an artistic urge I've had, I converted some of the photos to black and white. As you look at these photos, imagine wind chill temperatures in the 30's, the rumbling of 400,000 gallons of water per second, and the spray hitting you in the face ever so lightly. Then picture in your mind me, with the camera strap wrapped several times around my wrist, holding my precious Canon 40D over the top edge of the dam and clicking blindly to get the best close-up of the water that I could. Well, I wasn't about to have Jerry hang ME over the edge!