We have had unusual weather in Oregon this year. It has been colder and wetter than usual and the spells of bad weather have been unpredictable. Late March snows and warm heavy rains set the scene for flooding here on the valley floor, where the ground was already saturated and the reservoirs full to capacity. The need to release water from the earthen dams led to downstream flooding triggered by opening the very flood gates that were supposed to hold the water back. Save for hundred year floods, high water here is not as devastating as it is in other areas of the country. Our creeks and rivers rise, sometimes rapidly, but we don't have to deal with rushing walls of water that can cause loss of life or devastating property damage. These pictures were taken in early April and the waters retreated nearly as quickly as they rose. So, despite the high water, we had a beautiful spring. I thought these photos would be an unusual addition to Outdoor Wednesday, a weekly feature on the blog, A Southern Daydreamer.
