Octobers ‘Off the Beaten Path’ is a unique one but equally ‘Off the Beaten Path’.  For those who regularly travel down River Road / King Street in Falmouth or go to the City Docks they were in for a surprise on Thursday (30 September '99) and Friday (1 October '99) of this past week. They found roads closed due to the mighty Rappahannocks overflowing banks. Not only from the recent rains here in Fredericksburg but also from parts west of here along the rivers path. 
The river started to crest Thursday evening and continued to rise through the night into Friday morning.
What makes this so unique is that floods don't happen around here frequently, especially the third year of a drought.  In 1999, we can we can say that we saw the Rappahannock River at its lowest and and in a flooded condition. We can't say it was a bad flood because the worst flood currently on record is 1942, with 45 feet above normal.  This flooding was no where near that but still note worthy.

Thursday evening River Road /King Street was partly closed but residents that lived down that road could still come and go as they pleased. However, by Friday morning they would just about need a boat to get around.

During this same time frame the water everywhere along the Rappahannock was on its way up.  As you drove down Fall Hill Ave. you could see the river from your car with no problems.  If you were to get out and look at the river you would be able to hear the dam from as far away as Riverside Drive and Fall Hill Ave.  Watching and listening made you wonder what happened to make the river so angry and if the water would be able to be contained by its banks.  We would soon find out.

Continuing down Riverside Drive there is a small dam that people cross to gain access to the river for fishing.  That path was slowly disappearing as the water was rising. By Friday morning you would not even be able to think about going down the steps to get near the river as it was rising to greet you at the top of the hill.

Old Mill Park was to become totally impassable by morning thus forcing the park to remain closed.  For those who made it to this years duck race, the whole area where the festival was located was covered under water, including the area they dropped the ducks.  (For those who weren't able to make it- all the way up to the concrete parking lot.  As our son said “Thank God the duck race wasn't this weekend”.)

Thursday night the City docks would start flowing over into the parking lot.  By Friday it would be completely engulfed and working its way up the street causing it to temporarily be closed to the public.  Our best guesses from what we saw was that the water made it to approximately 15 feet over where it should normally be.  Trees were becoming victims to the raging river but none of the trees in our area seem to have been claimed.

As Friday progressed, the water receded and by Saturday morning all was back to normal.  The only evidence of anything amiss were the few remnants found in trees and the dirt found in the parking lot at the city dock and streets.

We learned something as we were watching the river do what nature intended it to do – never under estimate the power of the river.  And it reinforced the fact we need to protect our resources no matter what they may be.

We have many more pictures online from the flood. See you next month!