Water everywhere

We are not dealing with Minot-style flooding, nor are we downriver from the Oahe Dam, where things are really dicey, and are apt to remain so for a long time. But even so, we're experiencing water levels that are unheard of at this time of the year.

 This is the city park, where I run every day. I ran there on Friday. I took this picture on Saturday morning. See that green thing sticking out of the water? That's the top of a bench. The bench is on the far side of the running path. Which is not exactly usable at the moment. See the white foamy stuff in the distance? That's where the creek is supposed to be, and the foam indicates the ferocious current.

I also ran here on Friday. The running path follows those bushes back there... the ones that are under water. The sandy bit in the front of the shot is the volleyball court. When the water recedes, I'll take a pic to show you just how far away from the creek it ought to be.

Every day last week, I said to myself that I should risk ticks and thistles and wade through the high grass to take a picture of Turtle Creek, and show you all how the water level had dropped. It was still higher than normal (by a good 8'), but it was much lower than our high-water-thaw levels. I waited one day too long. This is what the creek looked like yesterday- the waters are almost as high as they were in April, which is astonishing. You can see that the rows of corn disappear into the water, which means that the creek is back up on the peninsula again.

I've never seen anything like this.

(and we're safe, our house is still far above the water levels).