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from a friend along the Macal, looks like the river is coming up fast....
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Arrived back from the mechanic's about an hour ago, and almost couldn't get
back across the river.... it was up at least 15 feet higher than normal,
and raising fast. A call to the hydro plant was not encouraging.... it
hasn't peaked there yet, and they're 4 hours away. Right now it's rolling
4 meters over the dam, which I don't know what that means here exactly,
since the width of the river is different. My 'Rover is parked up pretty
high, but the river has been higher, and it could go under if it doesn't
slow down soon.

They knew at the hydro plant that the river was flooding at 9:00 am, and
could have notified those of us who are the first to be hit, but they
didn't. duPlooys had just sent tourists out in canoes just a few minutes
before it hit there, and they were lucky they made it to Chaa Creek and
could get off the river there.... it could have been life threatening and
would have required a search and rescue had they been further down, in the
middle of nowhere, stranded in a flood. The road across the river going up
to Black Rock is under water, and they can't get in or out. Their tourists
were returning from Xunantunich, and I think they had to swim along the
road wearing life jackets to get back to the lodge.

My whole swimming pool and gardens around it are already under 15 feet of
muddy water.... whew! what a lot of work it will be to clean up! Don't
know if I'll be able to get out tomorrow to pick up guests who are
arriving.... bad timing on this one.... and it's terrifying to think of
what it would be like if it were a broken dam, not just a normal flood! I
think it's sick that no one was notified this was happening.... and I'm
sure it would be the same with a broken dam.....

That sounds horrible! Thanks for the info Marty and please keep us posted if you hear more.

Hope things work out okay for Phyllis. She has such a beautiful place (and the natural pool is absolutely fantastic). It's amazing how fast the Macal River can rise after heavy rains.

--Lan Sluder

a lil more from EkTun

There have been some awesome rains here in the last two weeks.... but it's been so dry most of it was just soaking into the ground. I'm not sure what's been happening up in the Maya Mountains.

When I called Mollejon power plant, they said there was 5 meters of water going over the spillway. It peaked there about 5:30, and was just beginning to recede. Depending on how much rain there's been up in the mountains, it could come up again, even higher, like it did last year in June.

It sure is loud!

I'm wondering how San Ignacio and Santa Elena are holding out. Anyone hear?

heard from phyllis the water was down, so i'm sure we would have heard something if there were any major problems in benque or san ignacio...

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River level is almost back to normal.... there was a lot of debris blocking the road up to Black Rock, but it's clear now. I had to drive through a stream 3 feet deep to get out to pick up the guests yesterday. I have more mud than you can imagine.... 8" covering everything around the pool, the perfect consistency for mud wrestling. I think I'll list it on the website as an activity until I can get it cleaned up!

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, Commerce and Industry informs the general public that a 40 ft. slab of the deck of the Guacamallo Bridge, in the Mountain Pine Ridge Area, has been washed off due to floods over the weekend. The bridge is found on the Chiquibul Road, spanning the Macal River and linking Mountain Pine Ridge and the Chiquibul Forest Reserve. As a result, access to Caracol is difficult at this moment. Larger 4-wheel drive vehicles can cross but it is not advisable. Repairs to the bridge are already underway.

Remember, there is another route to Caracol via the Hydro Road from Benque. You'll need 4wd and will have to follow behind someone who knows the road in and out. A beautiful drive.

WOW!!! What a story. Sounds like communication along the river needs to vastly improve.
Debbie

A couple of Boxes of Tide and when the river gets bubbles...head for the hills. In the American west there are what is called Washes. Dried stream beds coming out of the mountains during times of rain and snow meltdown. My favorite one is outside of Kingman, Arizona. Its name says it all...HOLY MOSES WASH!!!