Well Tim, get ready down river, ole Dana is starting t0 melt his snow piles!! Later this week we are going from 5 to 9 ft so flood is on the way!!! Flood starts at 15 foot so we got a bit of time!!

Appreciate the warning, looked at the predictions and we probably will get by with only a slight rise. With the Illinois coming in at the middle we can pass several times the volume though Mel Price than will be a problem at your end. There is a "but", lots of tributaries between us. Strange phenomenon occurs with moderate flooding, dam master open the gates in anticipation and to avoid restrictions. Our harbor is about 2.5 miles up from the dam so it's not unusual for us to be as much as 4 or 5 feet below normal while harbors 20 or more miles upstream are that much or more above normal.
Stay dry.

Ok,, If the birds and birdbrains have any insight into spring it sure looks like it will be early!!

Saw the first Robin in my yard today, less than a week ago the Mississippi channel began to open from the ice, went down to the river today and about 250 Pelicans' were formation flying up and down the river, saw a Heron yesterday and to top things off there were 4 Walleye fisherfolks in boats out by the wing dam!! Maybe that stupid rodent in Pennsylvania knew what he was doing!!

I think the eagles and white pelicans have the same recovery profile. About 20 years ago my wife and I were hiking a levy trail by the Mississippi. About a mile or so into the hike several vees of pterodactyls sailed about 10 feet above the stark naked trees surrounding us. We have been confirmed river rats many years prior and rejoiced at any sighting of a eagle and now, we were confronted with a time warp or a new to us bird. My watch confirmed the time warp was a low probability so off to the bird book.
For any who haven't seen them, they have a nearly 7 foot wing span, fly in vees covering distance but for short distance fly single file but with a roller coaster appearance. The trailing edge of the wings are black and from behind they almost dissappear. Feeding is really neat, they will begin in a large circle around bait fish, close in and at some point all will tip down filling their bills. Sorry for the lecture.

The pelicans in our Mississippi pool not only surround schools of smaller fish collectively, but have taken to stealing fish caught by the diving cormorants.

We used to have the only breeding ground north of the Mason/Dixon line but there are so many now they must be breeding in many more areas. They are on the protected species list. Do not go near the nesting sights those little buggers will spit some foul stuff at you!!

Speaking as a bass fisherman they have thinned down the recruitment and food supply for game fish quite a bit in this pool.

So with all this warm weather the last week or so, Noses' winter storage area snow piles are melting more rapidly than expected. With a bit of shoveling ole Nose might be able to surge free!

Thought I might bring it home and start on the roof project, I see that Anvil should be only applied above 70F, so can not decide if keeping it under cover with a tarp for 4 weeks or so, while I am scraping and after completing the roof is in the cards. Do want to get started and finish by the June GTG. Really want to get something going after this rotten winter.