Sunshine brought blue skies and raised the temperature to 78 degrees. Along West Bluff Road, pear trees showed off white blooms. The redbud and plum trees blossomed with more color. A couple azalea bushes were covered in bright fuschia.
And the Sabine River quietly made its way into the low-lying woods and in places covered the roadway. It was a spring day in February.
Roy Halliburton lives on West Bluff Road about 50 years. He was out in a row boat to check the situation.
“They said it’s supposed to get to 26 feet,” he said about the river. He points toward his driveway and says at 26 feet, the water on the road will go up to that tree over there. Maybe he’ll move his truck and car out, but he doesn’t plan to leave his house.
Most houses along West Bluff Road, which leads to the river, are built on piers several feet above ground. Halliburton’s house is up.
People who live along the river are accustomed to the rises in the river.
The National Weather Service statistics show the Sabine at Deweyville has flooded past the 24 foot flood stage 32 times since 2000. The record is still the March 2016 flood which reached a catastrophic 33.28 feet.
The river at Deweyville Wednesday afternoon was at 26 feet, reaching the minimum “moderate” flood stage. “Major” flood stage is set at 28 feet.
The National Weather Service predicts the river to crest at 26.4 feet on Friday.
No flooding is forecast for the Sabine River in Orange along Simmons Drive and the downtown area. Wednesday afternoon the river at Pier Road by the Orange Boat Ramp was at 2.73 feet. Flood stage is 4 feet.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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