Crossing the Kansas River on highway 75.
Bottom of the spillway at Lake Shawnee. 
Further down the spillway. This is normally a dry creekbed. I pass this creekbed on my way to and from work each day. I often see deer feeding along the creekbed.
Another view of the normally dry creekbed at Carnahan & 21st Street.
This picture was taken at the top of the dam looking towards 29th Street.
We had about four inches of rain last night. In all the years we have lived in Topeka, we have never seen this much water going over the dam near our home.
The dam was just reinforced this winter. Viewing areas were added to each side. A bridge over the dam was also added. Chuck and I often take walks along the lake. This dam is about 1/2 mile from our house. During the dam reconstruction, a dead tree was turned into this carving. I was still recuperating at home but Chuck saw the chainsaw artist made the statue.
Another dam shot!
Water cascading over the edge of the dam.As I write this, it is thundering and getting ready to rain again. Wiley is at the back door barking to come inside. He is a muddy mess. Ever since our neighbors behind us put in a swimming pool our yard floods during heavy rains. What water used to soak into their yard now runs off their concrete into our yard. Now we both have swimming pools, which Wiley finds fun to splash around in. Chuck has an ambitious plan to make all that water back up into the neighbors yard. He is basically planning on building a dyke. Everytime he looks out into the backyard he starts grumbling and talking about ordering a truckload of dirt. However, his plan will have to be put on hold until after his knee is healed. Since he will not stay off it, it is still swollen and sore. He actually sat in his recliner most of the weekend with his leg up and on ice. That is how I know it must really hurt.
I managed to mow the yard yesterday between storms. We have had rain and surrounding severe weather most of the week. On Tuesday the tornado sirens sounded and I spent most of the week at work in our "designated storm area". Rather than go to the basement, those of us on the fourth floor are herded to the second floor. Those on the second floor go who knows where (I love working for the state. In a real Tornado I do not plan on stopping at the second floor. I plan on going to the basement. I have a key.) I got tired of waiting so after about an hour standing around in the hallway I decided to just go home. Before leaving I ran back to my office to check the radar. It looked like most of the storm was going North of town but there was a big line West of us. I wanted to get home before the severe weather hit. Remember, I have to walk about 1/3 of a mile to my car so I wanted to leave before it started pouring. Most of the schools dismissed late due to Tornado warnings.
On Friday I heard on the news there were 86 Tornados in Kansas (I didn't see any of them). Friday night Greenburg, Kansas was hit by an F-5 Tornado. Greenburg is in the Southwest part of the state, near Dodge City and Garden City. The entire town was wiped out. One of Kansas best-loved tourist attractions was destroyed in the Tornado. Both the world's largest hand-dug well and a meteor museum were destroyed (I don't know why more people don't choose Kansas for their vacation!) I had actually wanted to visit that well this summer. It's big enough to walk down inside all the way to the bottom. I was attempting to plan a bicycling trip this fall near that area in the Flint Hills and had planned on stopping to see the well. I guess that trip is cancelled now as it is exactly where the Tornado hit. I suppose I had better get over to see the world's largest ball of twine before that gets destroyed.
The well before the tornado:
Still time to see the twine:
Map showing where Tornados struck and pictures of Greenburg, Kansas after the storm:
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