Red River Photos Part 4: June 3

Here is today's round of flood pictures.  I took these around 2:00 today and the river was at about 33.4 feet.  Projected crest is 34.5 Friday or Saturday.

This first picture was taken from the top of Shreveport-Barksdale bridge, looking south.  If you look at Saturday's pictures, you'll get a sense of how dramatic this is.  This parking lot is now totally under water; that's the same parking lot I was walking around on two days ago.

Arthur Ray Teague Boat Launch parking lot 

Another shot:

Arthur Ray Teague Boat Launch parking lot

There is overflow water on the opposite side of the Parkway:

From exit ramp, looking toward War Veterans Home

The Bossier Sheriff's Sub Station - flooded:

This is just south of the boat launch area; there is no parking and no fishing allowed now, so it's deserted.

Arthur Ray Teague Parkway, just south of boat launch

This is from the top of Jimmie Davis bridge:

From atop the Jimmie Davis bridge, looking north

This is overflow in the grassy area at the base of the Jimmie Davis bridge on the Shreveport side.

Overflow on Shreveport side

The water is on the shoulder of the road as you make the exit around toward Clyde Fant.  At about 10:00 in the above picture, the water is on the shoulder.

They are still fishing on the Shreveport side, but you can't park on the side of the road.

Catching fish

We could see the fish jumping in the water.

I took this from the entrance drive at Hamel's Memorial Park, looking south:

From Hamel's Memorial Park looking south

Again, you could really see fish jumping!

The boat launch at Hamel's:

Hamel's boat launch

This is the Stoner boat launch; what you see in this picture is the walking path I was on day before yesterday is now under water...

This path was not under water 72 hours ago.

But, people are still fishing here:

Fishing in the parking lot.

River watching remains Shreveport's new hobby; the city workers were checking things out:

The water should be well beyond that tree line...

The frisbee golf course is now taking on water:

Frisbee golf course, looking south from the footbridge

And into the parking lot...

Parking lot, frisbee golf course

I'm not sure who "Big Swole" is but maybe they mean the river...

Okay, so at Riverview Park, all of the terraced areas are now under water.

A ridiculous amount of water

It's hard to get a sense of how fast this current is moving, but look at the water crashing against the bridge supports:

A very swift current

Day before yesterday I took these stairs...not today...

And apparently we are protecting some very important electrical stuff...

Sandbags

Don't worry...I won't...

A suddenly unnecessary sign

See the bird?

Where's the bird?

Here he is...

Two birds

The birds are cool but you see that scalloped stuff sticking out of the water?  That's supposed to be a panel fence; it is ridiculously submerged.


And this bird is catching a ride on a floating tree:

Riding the current

Self explanatory:

Blub

This shot shows the steep incline at the casino:

That's the casino entrance behind the trestle

And the sightseers are out in force

No worries...

I do love the egrets...

So cute...

This looks more than ever like a fishing cork...

No cruisin' today...

You can check river levels here.  As I write this it is at 33.5; it went up a little since I started this post.

Please feel free to HIT THE TIP JAR!

Previously:
Red River Flooding Roundup June 3
Red River Flooding Photos: Part 3 (June 1)
Red River Flooding Roundup: May 31, 2015.
Red River Flooding photos: Part 1 (May 17)
Red River Flooding Photos Part 2  (May 30)

Red River Flooding Photos: Part 3

Shreveport's new pastime is watching the river rise.

As of an hour and a half ago the river was at 31.36 feet and the projected crest is 34 feet Saturday.  Governor Jindal has declared a state of emergency and is preparing for flooding while Bossier Parish has been provided with 25,000 sandbags.

I went down to the river today to take more pictures and saw pretty much the same thing as before with regard to people fishing and sightseeing.

You can go here to see pictures from Saturday as a point of reference.  Click on pictures to enlarge.

Saturday, the  Bossier sheriff's office had prisoners out putting sandbags around the substation at Arthur Ray Teague Parkway.

Looks like they got that done just in time.

Almost flooded.

The water is nearly covering the parking lot now.

Splashing to work.

This is overflow from the river, across from the Veterans Home.

Across from the War Veterans Home, Arthur Ray Teague Parkway.

People of all ages are fishing while people in business clothes come out to look and take pictures.

Fishing along the Arthur Ray Teague Parkway.

One young fellow had a nice catfish.

Traffic Street between Horseshoe Casino and the Louisiana Boardwalk is closed to traffic due to overflow from the river.

Traffic Street Overpass.

Down at Riverview Park, the water is definitely higher.

Riverview Park; June 1, 2015.

Previously in this view, you could see a "Danger" sign stretched across there, but now it is under water.

Riverview Park; June 1, 2015.

In the above photo, just to the right of the center rose sculpture and right above the square white sign, you can see a drone in flight; someone was taking drone pictures.

That white blob is a trash can, now submerged.

Hard to believe this is the park that holds hundreds of people.

A little further south, across from SciPort, things don't look much better.

Across from SciPort.  Clyde Fant Parkway.

The Spirit of the Red River Cruise is definitely closed.

River Cruise: June 1, 2015.

This is what it should look like.

Not today!

Red River June 1, 2015.

You can barely see a submerged bench in the above photo, just right of center.

And, of course, the jogging trail is under water.

End of the line.

Sightseers:

Stoner Boat Launch is still a hot spot for fishermen; the parking lot was full today with people taking pictures and looking around.  People are not the only fishermen taking advantage of the high water:

The water is now to the walkway at Stoner Boat Launch.

Stoner Boat Launch: June 1, 2015

Fishing:

Fishing in the Stoner Boat Launch parking lot.

To those who live along the Mighty Mississippi, I suppose this little old Red River isn't anything at all, but to those of us who are used to the lazy Red snaking through our town and not causing much of an uproar, this is pretty impressive.  I overheard one skater at the skate park on the phone, "Man I'm here right now!  The water is halfway up the hill!  I've lived here twenty-two years and never seen anything like it!"

There is something fascinating about a wild river.  And dangerous.

Red River: June 1, 2015

Here is where you can check river levels.

Previously:
Red River Flooding Roundup: May 31, 2015.
Red River Flooding photos: Part 1 (May 17)
Red River Flooding Photos Part 2  (May 30)