“How high’s the water mama?”
Not far from the birthplace of legendary singer Johnny Cash is this sign with its feet in water. The sign, on US Highway 79 just north of Kingsland, Arkansas, normally high and dry, is being encroached upon by waters from the swollen Saline River, less than a mile north.
The symbolism of the sign with its feet in the water, in 2009, is all too familiar to Arkansans. No one alive can remember a rainier year. All of which prompts one to hum “How high’s the water mama?” without too much provocation. I had the pleasure of watching the man in black perform that tune at Rison, Arkansas, a short ride up the road, in the seventies. I had no idea then that the tune would take on new meaning in this neck of the woods. Some local bards, tongues firmly ensconced in their cheeks, are musing, ” … makes Noah’s flood look like a mornin’ dew,” along with similar, but more colorful observations which I will eschew. Something about a boot.
See it at Corndancer dot com
This story started in Cleveland County, but water was not the subject. A really cool old barn was. I could not help but notice the water while going after the barn.
Click here to take a barn-break on the Photo of the Week page at Corndancer dot Com, a very cool thing to do. We’ll be waiting here for you when you get back.
We nearly made it through the year without a moisture laden seven-fold amen to the aquatic symphony which has been 2009, but the two days before Christmas were soakers for most of the state. Reports of six to 10 inches for the two days were not uncommon. As a result, the Saline has been a river on steroids.
On Christmas day, this equipment, parked at the foot of the US Highway 79 bridge over the Saline was high and dry. Yesterday, Dec. 26, the truck and ‘dozer were still high and dry with a few inches of water over the tracks of the back hoe. This morning, Dec. 27, it was a different story. Blub, blub.
Bridges and other man-made structures are good standards by which Mother Nature’s machinations can be measured. In less than 24 hours December 26 and 27, Saline grew several feet. The signs and the bridge below are prima facie evidence of a misbehaving river.
This sign is on the east side of the south end of the US 79 bridge over the Saline River between Rison and Kingsland, Arkansas. The left picture was shot at about 4:30 p.m., December 26, 2009. The right picture was shot about 11:30 a.m., December 27, 2009. The water color is the same, the direction of light is different, hence the different appearance.
POOL ACCESS
I was recently made aware of the origins of the name of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission access point, “POOL ACCESS.” It was explained to me by my good friend, Dick Warriner. The Saline, for the most part is not a deep or wide river. Under normal circumstances it is a docile stream and at least at one time, was legendary as a fishing resource. It may still be, but you could not prove it by me.
The river widens and deepens somewhat at POOL, just down river from the bridge, hence the name. There is also a bluff at POOL which was also the site of the “old bridge,” and more importantly to Dick, a favorite swimming hole frequented by his family during his childhood. Dick’s grandfather, Grover Roberts, a resident of nearby Herbine, built a retractable tire swing there which was well used by his progeny and I’m certain by other youngsters in the area. Thanks for the info Dick.
The US 79 bridge over troubling Saline River waters between Rison and Kingsland, Arkansas
Parting Shot
While crawling over the bridge on the west side, south end, on top of the abutment, I found a pile of nuts and bolts. These were certainly not placed here by four legged critters or birds, or one would certainly think so. And, there have been no plausible rumors of cults the members of which have a thing for galvanized nuts and bolts. Since this is not a pedestrian bridge, and few besides myself have probably ever noticed the hardware collection, the local curiosity coefficient is low, so an explanation is yet to be revealed. Why pray tell, is there a pile of nuts and bolts on the abutment?
This is nutty. But the nuts and bolts are the same as hold the bridge railings together.
Thanks for dropping by and Happy New Year!!!
Joe Dempsey
Weekly Grist for the Eyes and Mind
http://www.joedempseycommunications.com/
http://www.joedempseyphoto.com/
http://www.corndancer.com/joephoto/photohome.html
Filed under: Behind the Scenes, but wait, there's more | Tagged: Arkansas, barn, big old barn, birthplace of Johnny Cash, Bridge, Christmas, Cleveland County, Cleveland County Arkansas, flood, Johnny Cash, Kingsland, Kingsland Arkansas, Mt. Elba Road, Mt. Elba Road Cleveland County Arkansas, nuts and bolts, Pool Access, Pool Access Saline River, Rison, Rison Arkansas, Saline River, United States Numbered Highways, US Highway 79, US Highway 79 bridge, US Highway 79 Saline River Bridge |
Weekly Grist for the Eyes and Mind 
By watching the map last week’s storm from Ohio I noticed the nation’s midsection was getting pounded. Wow. Hope all your family and friends are save.
Then again, you seem to be like the mail motto as nothing seems to get in the way of your Sunday with the camera!
By the way, great reference on Corndancer about not being all that long ago.