MCFS data

Most people judge a flood by how high the water got -- or will get. Another way is by considering the volume of water flowing past a point.

Here is the current state of the river and daily projections through Thursday of the flow in thousands of cubic feet per second and current speed. At Huntington, things should start falling back tomorrow, but if you look at points downriver, you'll see a lot more water is headed their way.

In doing some math, it looks like the volume of water flowing past Evansville will be about 22 percent greater on Thursday than it was today. Farther down at Golconda, Ill., the volume will increase by about 17 percent. Some of the tributaries in that end of the river may be in for it, too.

Looking upriver, there may be another but smaller slug of water headed our way. Check out the predictions for the Willow Island Locks and Dam or for Parkersburg to see what I mean.

A ceremony and a disappointment

Today I was able to confirm that one of my favorite boats is getting a new name. The Pennsylvania, formerly known as the L. Fiore, will become the O. Nelson Jones at a ceremony and reception at Haddad Riverfront Park on the Kanawha River at Charleston, W.Va., late Friday afternoon.

The Pennsylvania is one of the few remaining boats that some people on the river refer to as "turtlebacks." Only two of them are seen on  my home part of the Ohio: the Pennsylvania and the Ronald E. Wagenblast, formerly the John Ladd Dean.

I called Madison Coal & Supply today to verify what I had heard, and the person there confirmed the facts and said it was an invitation-only event.

Adam was disappointed when he found out we couldn't attend. I explained that these things are private  parties where the company wants to do something for its customers, friends and such. Maybe we'll go by the park on Friday and get a picture or two from afar. Or maybe we'll forget the whole thing and do something closer to home. We'll worry about that then. That's why they invented tomorrow, you know.