Here we go again - IKE

[SHANEA]

Ike Update From TPWD: Game Wardens Search and Rescue, State Parks/Wildlife Staff Assess Damage

# More damage assessments for the State Park Division came in this morning, though the full picture is still incomplete. Southeast Texas state parks sustained the most damage, where seven parks have reported significant impacts.Stephen F. Austin, Brazos Bend, San Jacinto Battleground, Village Creek and Huntsville sustained wind damage to treesand structural/infrastructure damage. No loss of life or injuries have been reported for the State Parks Division.
# In Northeast Texas, parks west of Tyler fared fairly well, although many reported trees down. Eastern parks like Martin Creek Lake, Caddo Lake, Daingerfield, and Atlanta sustained more damage. All of these are without electricity, with power lines down and poles broken, likely to remain closed for some time. Trees fell on some cabins and buildings at Martin Creek, though details are not known.
# The headquarters building at Mission Tejas burned to the ground around 10 a.m. this morning. No one was hurt. It is possible that an emergency generator being used to power the building caught on fire.

Regarding ecological impacts, aerial overflights of the upper coast region are planned for Monday to assess damage to various TPWD division facilities and to natural resources. But longtime division staff member and Murphree WMA Superintendent Jim Sutherlin had this to say: "The Murphree area looks like the Gulf of Mexico. Wildlife impacts to every thing that doesn’t fly will be significant like it was back in the early 1960s with Hurricane Carla. I expect a great reduction in reptiles and amphibians, particularly alligators, but also snakes, frogs, all the things that move on the ground in the coastal plains. We need to assess the full impacts, and that will take some time. It will set plant communities back to very early successional stages, and we’ll see big changes in the landscape when this water comes off, for a couple of decades. That’s something we’ll see as our careers mature, and the young people starting careers in wildlife ecology now will follow it as we followed Carla."

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/site/emergency/

[badknees]

I hope you enjoy your extended stay in Chicago but that your travel situation clears up soon.

Not even an inconvenience on my part compared to what millions of others are facing.   

So, what is the Federal response like?  The news stations seem to already be shifting away from the Ike story.   Are there thousands of FEMA and National Guard vehicles streaming into the impacted areas?  Are the Corp of
Engineers working on clearing debris and fixing roads and the electrical grid?  Massive number of cargo planes bringing in supplies and support?

I have seen continuous flights of cargo planes and choppers in and out of Ellington field.

Center Point trucks are everywhere accompanied by at least 2 tree service trucks and cranes.


The only thing I have not seen is a single policeman.

[riverrat]

Actually this is in my town,
vidor on Old highway 90 small township called Rose City.
water chest deep in homes.
daughters friend had to get in attic and was rescued by boat.

RAY52 - Orange Texas Videos on YOUTUBE.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIPMSXdNmvs

There are others.  Do a search with term  Orange Texas IKE

US CoastGuard has posted a number of vidoes on YOUTUBE also.

These are videos of what was Crystal Beach where I used to love to go and camp and party
at Sharkys...

US Coast Guard Flyover
http://utube.smacraps.com/video/ofvDTeN807I/Hurricane-Ike-Crystal-Beach-Aftermath.html

http://utube.smacraps.com/video/4AZNR4wCvpY/CG-helo-crew-rescues-one-adult-dog-from-Crystal-Beach.html

http://www.click2houston.com/video/17469642/index.html

[Al]

BK, I haven't been able to find anything on how Nassau Bay fared.  Our family home for over 30 years, was near the end of Barbuda Lane at the lake.  We sold it about 10 years ago.  It was at ~14 - 15 msl. It never flooded the house although we did end up with motor boats in the front yard at least once.  Have you heard anything?

Al 

[SHANEA]

www.hurricaneike.co m

[RichardM]

BK, I haven't been able to find anything on how Nassau Bay fared.  Our family home for over 30 years, was near the end of Barbuda Lane at the lake.  We sold it about 10 years ago.  It was at ~14 - 15 msl. It never flooded the house although we did end up with motor boats in the front yard at least once.  Have you heard anything?

One of the Austin news programs showed an interview with a Nassau Bay resident who had chest-deep water in his house.

[Al]

Richard, thanks.  My parents picked the lot because it was as close as they could get to the old Raymond Pierson (sp?) mansion that didn't flood during Carla.  The devastation goes beyond the destruction of homes.  What's happening with your job?  How is that going to work?  I can only guess the economic ripple effect of this devastating storm.

Al

[badknees]

BK, I haven't been able to find anything on how Nassau Bay fared.  Our family home for over 30 years, was near the end of Barbuda Lane at the lake.  We sold it about 10 years ago.  It was at ~14 - 15 msl. It never flooded the house although we did end up with motor boats in the front yard at least once.  Have you heard anything?

One of the Austin news programs showed an interview with a Nassau Bay resident who had chest-deep water in his house.

Certainly some of the homes in Nassau Bay were flooded. I think the number was about 11-12 ft above MSL. Your old home may have been spared

[Al]

BK, thanks!  If you learn more I'll appreciate any information.  We don't live there any more but can't help but wonder.

Thanks again and best of luck,
Al

[badknees]

Al,

If I find out any specifics I let you know. I do know the Clear Lake Hilton parking lot flooded and Taylor Lake Village also

In the meantime I found this of Naussau Bay

[Al]

BK, that looks like either a condo or apartment shot so it would be either near the entrance on the west side by the tributary of Clear Creek that goes under NASA Rd 1 or the apartments on the east side near Clear Lake. If that's still the case it's questionable if one can get out.  I've been listening to KHOU and the County Judge listed Clear Creek as still flooded but receding.

Thanks!
Al

[SHANEA]

Should I Stay and Write My Name and SSN with a Sharpie on My Body - Or Should I Go...

[RichardM]

Check http://www.khou.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=23432 for lots of Nassau Bay discussion.

My employer will follow JSC's lead since a lot of our employees work on-site.

[Al]

Richard, excellent link!  Looks like the flooding is no worse than it has been historically, so the old family house should be OK.  Best of luck on getting back to work!

Thanks again,
Al

[SHANEA]

Let's Go Clean the Beach!™ Next coastwide cleanup is September 27, 2008.  Trashing Texas Beaches Isn't Cool!

Can the State of Texas really TM-Trade Mark something like "Let's Go Clean the Beach!"? 

Trashing Texas Beaches Isn't Cool - tell that to Ike...