High Waters

I didn’t go past the front door on Saturday, it rained that much.   It didn’t really look as if it was that heavy, but it was certainly enough to discourage going out.  So when I got up and looked out of the window yesterday morning I was somewhat amazed!  The river had broken its banks, and was flowing swiftly leaving trails of leaves and twigs along the high water edge.  

After the first load of snow melted we expected some high water… which didn’t happen.  It wasn’t even that bad after the last snows disappeared, but a few days ago for some reason the water level rose quite considerably,and 24 hours later  it had gone back down again!  As I said, the rain on Saturday didn’t look that bad, but there must have been a lot of it, possibly further up Tweeddale, as the water level was up about three feet or so.

Yesterday being a much brighter and dryer day, I walked a little way along the river path taking photos.  The sun was shining and being a Sunday afternoon there were plenty of folk out walking, some probably out just to look at the flooding. Just below the bridge, in a calm area not generally underwater and therefore out of the current, a huge salmon was causing a bit of interest.  It didn’t look too healthy with most of its body covered in what might have been some sort of fungal growth.  Poor thing!  I expect it will probably die.  Years ago I saw several fish like this from the little footbridge across Cuddy, where it joins Tweed.  I think they were culled. 

Take a look at the foot bridge as it was yesterday, and see how fierce the cauld/weir was (below left).   The island, silted up over the years, had pretty much disappeared under the torrent, (right) leaving its trees looking isolated in the middle of the river (in the distance).  The tree in the foreground is on the river bank….. normally!.   

On my way back I rescued a tiny meercat from the swollen waters just above the bridge where the mill once was.  It was a child’s toy, lost and floating at the edge of the water.  I wonder where it fell in?  Was it from one of the upper Tweed hamlets, or had some little child dropped it while crossing the Priorsford footbridge just up beside the Park?  Were they devastated to lose their toy or had its loss not even been noticed?   Being a big fan of meercats I just had to fish it out with a stick and bring it home.  It has dried off a bit overnight but I think a turn in the washing machine might be a good idea!  A  good wash won’t do it any harm!

So, today the river is back where it should be, still flowing speedily, but with trails of debris deposited on the banks at its highest point yesterday.  At least we aren’t having the problems that Australia and Brazil are having right now though.  They have my sympathy.  Water can be so destructive.  Here, it only made the Green a trifle muddy!

Talk again soon.