How High's The Water, Momma? - Lake Darbonne Life

Country music legend Johnny Cash could have written a song about the weather and water levels around here the past few days, except he already wrote it: “Five Feet High and Rising”.

According to the Southern Regional Climate Center, preliminary climatic data at Station 3079 has registered precipatory activity of more than six inches so far in 2013. In layman’s terms, that means it’s rained six inches in the past 10 days in Farmerville. In the surrounding area, the amount has been significantly higher.

I don’t know what your rain gauge is like, but mine is a plastic tube marked with inches held by a little plastic frog. Yesterday afternoon, the tube was full and the frog had hopped off, apparently looking for dry ground…. No matter what the official measurement, it’s been enough to bring Lake D’Arbonne way up, as Cash would say, “five feet  high and rising.”  It was just a few weeks ago that the lake was five feet low from the recent drawdown. Now it’s full…and rising. Wow!  Can you imagine what this lake would look like had it not been down five feet?

We had a record numbers of “hits” on the “area lake and river levels” link on lakedarbonnelife.com the past few days to check on water levels and the predicted rise. I expect that to continue. Here’s what it looked like last night, and as you can see, the projections are for even more rise on the lake. The lake is at 80.33 feet (.33 feet about pool stage). Projections are for it to be a foot and a  half higher by early next week. Hopefully, with no more significant rain, it will begin a steady drop back closer to pool.  By the way… just in case you’ve never heard Cash’s song, the lyrics are at the bottom of today’s post below the water level chart.

FIVE FEET HIGH AND RISING

How high’s the water, mama? Two feet high and risin’ How high’s the water, papa? Two feet high and risin’

We can make it to the road in a homemade boat; That’s the only thing we got left that’ll float It’s already over all the wheat and the oats, Two feet high and risin’

How high’s the water, mama? Three feet high and risin’ How high’s the water, papa? Three feet high and risin’

Well, the hives are gone, I’ve lost my bees The chickens are sleepin’ in the willow trees Cow’s in water up past her knees, Three feet high and risin’

How high’s the water, mama? Four feet high and risin’ How high’s the water, papa? Four feet high and risin’

Hey, come look through the window pane, The bus is comin’, gonna take us to the train Looks like we’ll be blessed with a little more rain, 4 feet high and risin’

How high’s the water, mama? Five feet high and risin’ How high’s the water, papa? Five feet high and risin’

Well, the rails are washed out north of town; we gotta head for higher ground We can’t come back till the water comes down, Five feet high and risin’

Share this:

• Facebook
• Email
• Print
• More

• X

Like Loading...

Related