AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: Pete from Boston on March 18, 2014, 12:57:46 PM

Title: Historical Flood Level Signs
Post by: Pete from Boston on March 18, 2014, 12:57:46 PM
This post:

Quote from: NE2 on March 18, 2014, 11:38:09 AM
Not exactly very old (I'm probably older) but http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/24/Southpinellas/Elevation_On_signs__i.shtml
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sptimes.com%2F2004%2F09%2F24%2Fimages%2Fsign.jpg&hash=de75c8a85aa4aa8152fe3c4c07cdf7db2c126fe5)

Made me think of something I've seen all over New England, the "Flood was up to here in [usually 1936, 1938, 1955, or 2011]" sign along the road. 

I have seen them in Ware, Mass. and in the Hockanum section of Hadley, in Waterbury, Vt., and in countless other places I can't remember.

Is this phenomenon common in other parts of the country?
Title: Re: Historical Flood Level Signs
Post by: agentsteel53 on March 18, 2014, 01:16:15 PM
California has lots of them on US-101 in Humboldt County marking the flood of 1964.
Title: Re: Historical Flood Level Signs
Post by: Jardine on March 18, 2014, 01:27:43 PM
I've been in several restaurants and cafes in Iowa with plaques on the walls marking high water marks.  It is a source of local pride in overcoming a disaster like that.

Can't think of any markers along side hiways however.

If you know where to look, indications of the 2011 Missouri River Flood are still apparent.  Change in vegetation, staining on light poles, flotsam never picked up, etc.
Title: Re: Historical Flood Level Signs
Post by: catch22 on March 18, 2014, 03:59:00 PM
In the late 1980s, at one of the turnouts on US-34 along the Big Thompson River in Colorado between Loveland and Estes Park, I saw a marker high up on the canyon wall showing the depth of the 1976 flood.  (I have no idea if it's still there.)


Title: Re: Historical Flood Level Signs
Post by: pianocello on March 18, 2014, 04:13:40 PM
Quote from: Jardine on March 18, 2014, 01:27:43 PM
I've been in several restaurants and cafes in Iowa with plaques on the walls marking high water marks.  It is a source of local pride in overcoming a disaster like that.

I immediately thought of this little shack along the Davenport Riverfront: http://goo.gl/maps/FM8FP. The blue stripes mark the highest the river got during certain floods.
Title: Re: Historical Flood Level Signs
Post by: DandyDan on March 19, 2014, 06:25:42 AM
I remember years ago, there was a sign on the old US 169 bridge in Shakopee, MN which mentioned the height of the 1965 flood there, but I have no idea whether that sign is still up.

As for the 2011 Missouri River lfood Jardine mentioned, all I'll say is that the Sapp Bros. truck stop at the IA 2 exit on I-29 has a lot of pictures of the flood.

The only other thing with regards to flooding I can remember seeing is that at the Missouri state park at the Missouri River confluence with the Mississippi River, there is a tall flagpole showing just how high the flooding in 1993 got there.
Title: Re: Historical Flood Level Signs
Post by: froggie on March 19, 2014, 11:50:03 AM
QuoteI remember years ago, there was a sign on the old US 169 bridge in Shakopee, MN which mentioned the height of the 1965 flood there, but I have no idea whether that sign is still up.

Still there...was replaced/updated in the mid-90s to include the 1993 flood level.  I'd anticipate it will fall prey to this project (http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/hwy101river/index.html), due to begin this year, which will raise the roadway and replace most of the floodplain stretch with a long bridge.
Title: Re: Historical Flood Level Signs
Post by: BrianP on March 19, 2014, 05:46:12 PM
Potomac River floods are marked at the White's Ferry crossing:
http://www.gazette.net/storyimage/PN/20121031/NEWS/710319495/EP/1/3/EP-710319495.jpg
Title: Re: Historical Flood Level Signs
Post by: talllguy on April 06, 2014, 12:41:26 AM
Amazingly, there is an MUTCD sign for this, W8-19:

(https://www.evernote.com/shard/s5/sh/998d5518-d62c-4d79-821f-68977bd9abca/341da15e82782cbdea6525cce1e31a66/deep/0/mutcd09r1r2editionhl.pdf-(page-161-of-862).png)

I'd love to see a picture or GSV of one of these!
Title: Re: Historical Flood Level Signs
Post by: Scott5114 on April 06, 2014, 01:36:43 AM
Not exactly the same as the MUTCD example, but here's one in Springfield, Missouri: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=springfield+mo&hl=en&ll=37.212524,-93.378317&spn=0.003862,0.014892&sll=35.246821,-97.36237&sspn=0.560765,0.953064&hnear=Springfield,+Greene+County,+Missouri&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=37.21252,-93.378318&panoid=FvSScWXOqH88IojiHlsN6A&cbp=11,101.23,,0,13.4
Title: Re: Historical Flood Level Signs
Post by: talllguy on April 06, 2014, 01:46:19 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 06, 2014, 01:36:43 AM
Not exactly the same as the MUTCD example, but here's one in Springfield, Missouri: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=springfield+mo&hl=en&ll=37.212524,-93.378317&spn=0.003862,0.014892&sll=35.246821,-97.36237&sspn=0.560765,0.953064&hnear=Springfield,+Greene+County,+Missouri&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=37.21252,-93.378318&panoid=FvSScWXOqH88IojiHlsN6A&cbp=11,101.23,,0,13.4

Nice! It's pretty close.
Title: Re: Historical Flood Level Signs
Post by: Pete from Boston on April 06, 2014, 07:48:45 AM

Quote from: talllguy on April 06, 2014, 12:41:26 AM
Amazingly, there is an MUTCD sign for this, W8-19:

(https://www.evernote.com/shard/s5/sh/998d5518-d62c-4d79-821f-68977bd9abca/341da15e82782cbdea6525cce1e31a66/deep/0/mutcd09r1r2editionhl.pdf-(page-161-of-862).png)

I'd love to see a picture or GSV of one of these!

Similar, but I was talking about "on this spot in 1938" kind of signs, rather than "this is how deep the water is right now so don't drive in" signs.

The latter popped up all over the Northeast following Irene and Sandy. 
Title: Re: Historical Flood Level Signs
Post by: Alps on April 06, 2014, 09:16:46 PM
NJ definitely uses the W8-19 or similar, but I'm having trouble recalling where.
Title: Re: Historical Flood Level Signs
Post by: Pete from Boston on April 06, 2014, 09:37:15 PM
Something like it was up at one of the county-maintained crossings of the Saddle River in Ho-Ho-Kus or Saddle River, after one or more of the big storms came through.  Then they were taken down.  I wonder if it was because there's no safe flood there to cross, and the sign perhaps implies it's low enough.  More likely, in my mind, advertising the area's flood propensity is bad for property values.