Historical Flood Level Signs

[Pete from Boston]

This post:

Not exactly very old (I'm probably older) but http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/24/Southpinellas/Elevation_On_signs__i.shtml

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?

[agentsteel53]

California has lots of them on US-101 in Humboldt County marking the flood of 1964.

[Jardine]

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.

[catch22]

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.)

[pianocello]

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.

[DandyDan]

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.

[froggie]

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.

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, due to begin this year, which will raise the roadway and replace most of the floodplain stretch with a long bridge.

[BrianP]

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

[talllguy]

Amazingly, there is an MUTCD sign for this, W8-19:



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

[Scott5114]

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

[talllguy]

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.

[Pete from Boston]

Amazingly, there is an MUTCD sign for this, W8-19:



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. 

[Alps]

NJ definitely uses the W8-19 or similar, but I'm having trouble recalling where.

[Pete from Boston]

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.