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One of the most popular sights in Washington is the Flood Gauge. Frequently misidentified as the Washington Monument (the Washington Monument is actually at Mount Vernon Square, in Baltimore, MD), the Flood Gauge was originally erected to monitor the nearby Potomac River. (Note the flood pond in front of the gauge.) While it has served this purpose well, in recent years it has been used to measure the flood tide of red ink that regularly swamps the capital. The most common use, however, is to measure political rhetoric. In election years, when political commentators refer to the fact that "it's getting pretty deep in Washington," they use The Flood Gauge as the measure. Unless you are from a farming community, you probably wouldn't find it pleasant to visit during these times; the smell is, literally, breathtaking.
Washington Apple Pi Virtual Tours, October 15, 1997 |
You can just make out the faint change in color, about a third of the way up, marking the highest crest so far. |
[![[The Flood Gauge]](watermark.jpg)