We just completed the wettest April on record. Saturday the 29th was probably the highest one-day rainfall here. We left West Plains just as the thunderstorm started. We made it to Mountain View, but we could not get home. We needed to cross Jam-up Creek to go south to our house, but all roads south were closed due to flooding. After the rain let up after about 3 hours we were able to travel south when one lane opened up on Route 17.
We often have a small lake in our back yard. We live in a karst area. Most of southern Missouri is underlain by sedimentary rock with cracks, crevices, caves, springs, and sink holes. Our back yard is a sink hole and that is where we frequently get temporary "lakes".
We had an overnight pond in the backyard on April 21-22. I put out the "no fishing" sign for a joke.
The pond disappeared in a few hours, as usual.
But on the 29th our rainfall probably exceeded 10 inches. The next morning the backyard pond covered my garden.
The rainfall total at West Plains was near 15 inches. Electricity was down. Schools were closed for the whole week. Mountain View - Birch Tree schools were also closed for the week. There were more "flood days" than "snow days" this year.
News reports had 270 state highway closures in Missouri including sections of I-44, I-55, and US 60. There were six flood-related deaths in Missouri and four in Arkansas.
Never before had our backyard lake covered the street, but this time the street was closed for the whole week.
Linda could not resist the "lake" when the sun finally came out. She paddled the neighborhood kids all around Lake David.
Our lake disappeared down into the sinkhole by Friday, May 5. Our water went into the underground caverns and rivers that go to places like Alley Spring, Big Spring, or Greer Spring. I finished mowing the grass in our old "lake bed" on May 6.
Of course, in July we will be praying for rain.
