The Yucatan Valley Flood of 2000

Digging through my digital photographs, I did not find anything from the first flood that I photographed here in Yucatan. However, I did find copies of a friend’s pictures from that time. June 1, 2000 was the day I first experienced flooding up close and it all began when my late mother noticed water in the field where it shouldn’t be. I went outside to get a better look and realized that the creek (South Branch of the Root River) had gone over its banks.

Before long County 14 was under and later we heard from my father that he couldn’t get through from the south because the bridge was closed. Later that evening after things were open again, we took a drive along 14 and State 76 to see the flooding. It was beautiful and intimidating at the same time to see the valley filled with water. I felt like I’d glimpsed what it was like in Yucatan when the glaciers melted at the end of the last ice age.

In 2008 we had a smaller flood that wasn’t nearly as impressive. After 2007 and that, I figured we’d never see anything like 2000 again. Boy was I wrong about that.

In my post about the flood this last Sunday, I put up pictures of the bridge that was flooded over going towards Black Hammer. Here is the old bridge in 2000 that was later replaced. To my surprise, the water was higher this time.

County 14 did not go underwater near us in 2013 as I expected, but I’d forgotten they had raised the road bed since 2000. This photo from thirteen years ago shows why they had to do that. Eroded roads are one of the biggest and most costly problems from flooding.

Houses can be damaged badly and this one had its basement caved in. When rebuilt, the basement was simply done away with. I haven’t heard how they fared this time.

Crossing the valley is impossible during floods as these pictures of Cut Across Road show. Earlier minor flooding this year had taken it out a couple of times and work was in progress on it when Sunday’s flood hit. The road is simply too low and constantly has problems but look at that raging torrent.

 

Yucatan Road is another that gets overrun and here in 2000 it was completely under.

This picture from 2000 shows the township hall surrounded by water. In 2013, the water came up to the windows – inside and out.

So looking at the old pictures makes me realize this latest flood was far worse. That’s a wee bit sobering given the lasting impression the June 2000 flood made upon me.