Arizona braces for Odile

After the flooding we saw last Monday we need to be prepared for more water. Most fire departments are handing out sandbags to local residents. The news is suggesting we stay inside and be prepared. Since the ground is already saturated from last weeks storm the water won't seep into the ground. The water will just create a huge flood across the area. 

Make sure you don't become a victim of Odile. 

Here's how to protect your property with sandbags.

Step one: Contact your local fire department and see if they are offering FREE sandbags. If they are not you will have to purchase some at a local hardware store. Places like Home Depot, Lowes or Ace Hardware will have them. 

Step two: Figure out how many bags and how much sand you would need to complete the wall. The staff at your local store should be able to help you with this. Just tell them how large of an area you need to protect.

Step three: You will need to purchase bags, sand and plastic sheeting or a tarp from your local hardware store.

Step four: Have a friend help you fill the bags. One person will hold the bag open while the other person uses a shovel to add sand to the bag. Fill the sandbags half way so you have excess to material to create a flap at the open end. Some bags will come with something to secure the bag closed. If yours does not, you can simply fold the flap over to seal it.

Step five: Place the plastic sheeting or tarp on the ground where you want to keep the water out. Place the plastic sheeting or tarp halfway up the wall, window or door where you want to keep the water out. This will help create a barrier to divert the water.

Step six: Start placing the first row of sandbags on the plastic sheeting or tarp. Make sure that each bag is tight against the next bag by tapping it down. Start the next row on top of the first in a brick pattern as seen below. 

Stagger the placement of sandbags to create a strong barrier. Continue packing the bags down as you go. Build the wall up until you reach the desired height to safely divert the water.

Step seven: Relax; you are now protected from flooding waters. Stay inside and be safe.

Monsoon storms kicked Arizona's butt today.

Living in Arizona you have to get use to the Monsoon season. It's a couple of months of crazy random thunderstorms. It usually starts in the mid to late June and ends around the end of September. Here is a glimpse of what we encounter during a Monsoon. 

Today was the wettest day I've seen a a very long time. It rained so hard that my daughters school had to close the parking lots. The water was past the tires on some cars. Here are some pictures of the chain link fence located along the parking lot that was knocked over by a wall of water. 

On the way home we decided to stop and check out the Canada del Oro wash near our home. Take a look at the videos I shot below.





Here is another video of the Canada del Oro wash.




We have tons of "rivers" in Arizona but very few actually ever hold water.  Here is a picture of the Canada del Oro river today. It's bank to bank with water. This very rarely happens.