For only the third time in its history, floodwaters rushed into Lake Texoma faster than the wide-open floodgates could let it loose, and the big Red River reservoir overflowed its emergency spillway. Texoma had gained over 35 feet in elevation from its drought-depeleted level at year's beginning. This lake had all it could take, and it couldn't take any more. The spillway crest happened even while the floodgates themselves stayed open full-throttle from all turrets, unleashing a thunderous, earth-shaking, shockingly deep torrent to rival all but the biggest of the world's natural waterfalls. As enough water blasted through the dam to fill more than three Olympic size pools per second, throngs flocked from all over the region to witness and appreciate the spectacle, as did this photographer. While images cannot convey the brutal enormity and force of the water erupting from those floodgates, they can give a sense of scale and focus some appreciation of the forces at work. Here is a selection of imagery from a memorable and historic event.

Texoma floods trees normally well above shoreline	Wide angle of the spillway and orphan anvil from a Cb shown later	Zoom of spillway, overtopped by its third 100-year flood since 1947.	Redneck festival at the spillway!
Floodgates wide open at wide angle! The ground rumbled for hundreds of feet around. It's hard to convey how huge this water was, but I'll try...	For scale, those colorful specks above the opposite wall are people. Moving water was deeper than a four story building and loud.	Cb anvil over lake. Note flooded poles.	Guardrail on a flooded road...now to prevent underwater drivers from plunging even deeper?
Signs that shouldn't be so nearly submerged	Red River just downstream from the floodates. Kayaks anyone?	Newly paved road to Davey Jones' locker. Turn around, don't drown!	Unusual view of fresh road paint
Zoom of the boom of the water on the wall opposite. Remember the speck-people for scale.	Abstract style image of certain death for anyone who may fall into this thundering torrent	Inundated latrine. No swimming recommended!	For cars or for boats?
Spreading anvil from SVR-warned, multicell Cb W of Prosper TX	Not from Texoma, but still a telling scene near Forney TX

____________________

Roger & Elke Edwards Digital Photo Galleries

All our photos are licensed through the stock photography arm of Insojourn Design and Images. Please inquire for rates and conditions.

Comments or requests? E-mail me using the address in the "captcha" below...