Tupper Lake, November 6, 2012 by Jeff Boucher

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Tupper.........

Floods???

Holy crap, the water is high. You'd think being in the mountains, therefore higher than sea level, would make us immune to flooding.

D'oh! Snowmelt, rivers, major rainstorms and saturated ground make this Flood Central.

So I've been here for 50 years, and I've never seen the water this high.

Talking to the Oldtimers today, who are in there 70's and 80's and they're saying the same thing.
It's one of those 100 year events.

The North Country is a mess. Bridges have been dissolved, roads and homes overtaken by high water.

It seems that Mother Nature still has the upper hand.


Here's some pics from around Tupper this afternoon.

The backside of the Municipal Park. On the left of that row of cedars is a walkway, well, that is under water.

Another shot of the Park-That's a skateboard half-pipe, and behind it is the baseball diamond.

Our friends, Mary and Stu have a camp on the Raquette River, just off Lake Simond.
Bring your waders.

Here's the boathouse at their camp. 4 feet of water inside on the floor.

Well, you can definitely arrive by boat!

A shot of the planter. No need to water the flowers this year.

Back side of the camp.

The new marina by Trail's End. Hmmm, looks like the seawall is about a foot or two lower than it should be.

House on Raquette River Drive.
G'Night Kids-Got your life jackets on?

And then, there's Water Street.
Water Street is near and dear to my heart. My grandmother Julia, was born in a house on Water Street in 1913.
It is without a doubt, the lowest street in Tupper Lake in regards to feet above lake level.
Here's a pic about 100 yds. down the street from Main Street. (Main St.? Cue up the Bob Segar, now!)

Never seen anything like it.

The bend on Water Street.

Don't know these guys, but I imagine the conversation is something like this, "You go and get the beer now, I'll get it next week, O.K.?"

O.K. Kids, get your wetsuits on and go outside and play!

So that's it- there are a lot more pics and stories to be seen and told.
I make light of it, but I'm not using a canoe to get in my house like some folks I know.
No, it wasn't a flood of Biblical proportions, but it was a pretty darn good one, and it ain't over yet.
After seeing the damage the tornadoes did in Alabama yesterday where 240 plus lost their lives, I am still grateful to live up here in the sticks, even if we get the occasional 100 year event.
For those that are under water I hope it recedes quickly.
For those down South, may God be with you.

And for everybody that's reading this, be thankful that you're reading it, and not bailing water at this moment.


4 comments:

  1. Water Street - wonder where it got that name?

    Hey, if we didn't have nature creating all these challenges for us, our lives would be rather boring - right?

    Do you have a second story on your house?

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  2. Yes, Doc, we do, we're high and dry!

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  3. Wow...those pictures are amazing. Thats a lot of water :) I am heading up to Fort Covington Memorial Day weekend, hoping it is not as wet up there!!!

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  4. Hey Ellie, I hope it's dry by then too! The water is actually higher now then when those pics were taken last week, and it's raining hard right now! Enough already!

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